Caspian Pipeline Consortium reports new drone attack on oil tanker

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) has reported a new drone attack on an oil tanker at its terminal near Novorossiysk, forcing it to once again halt the loading of crude oil.

The company resumed loading of oil in the evening of July 19 following the previous attack on its terminal but halted it again after a drone attack on the tanker near the facility on July 20.

"On July 20, 2026, a civilian marine tanker was attacked again at the CPC Marine Terminal. Terrorist attack by air drone was made on tanker Nelsa, which was under loading at SPM-1," the report said.

As a result of hitting the starboard aft body, a fire broke out on the deck and in the tanker compartments between the superstructure and the engine and boiler space. The fire was extinguished within a few hours by the tanker loading crews and the emergency response forces on CPC watercraft, the company said.

"The international crew of 22 people were evacuated on the CPC tugs, except the master and the chief mate. Tanker remained afloat. The oil loading was stopped, oil spill and its igniting in tanks was prevented," according to the report.

When preparing the attack on a tanker under loading, the aggressor country was aware that it was creating huge environmental and man-made risks, the CPC added.

On Sunday, July 19, during loading operations at the CPC marine terminal, two seagoing tankers, the Asia and the Nissos Ios, were subjected to a targeted terrorist attack using unmanned aerial vehicles.