An oil tanker chartered by Exxon to load crude near Russia’s Black Sea coast was attacked by two drones on Friday, according to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. The vessel was damaged in the incident near the consortium’s offshore terminal.
The CPC terminal is a key point for oil loading in the region, so any attack involving a tanker there is likely to draw close attention from energy markets and shipping operators. Based on the limited details available, the extent of the damage and the effect on loading activity were not immediately clear.
The reported strike adds to the risks facing commercial shipping around strategic energy infrastructure linked to Russia and the Black Sea. Tanker operators, charterers and insurers typically monitor such incidents closely because they can affect vessel movements, security planning and transport costs.
CPC said the ship had been chartered for loading at the terminal, underscoring how the incident reaches beyond a single vessel and touches a major crude export route. Further information on the condition of the tanker and any operational disruption had not yet been detailed in the trimmed report.
