Caspian Pipeline Consortium oil loadings suspended after drone attacks on tankers

Two oil tankers were attacked at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal off Russia’s Black Sea coast, CPC said on Sunday, adding that oil loadings are suspended.

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The ASIA and NISSOS IOS tankers were attacked during loading operations, CPC said. The ASIA tanker caught fire, which was extinguished, it added.

“There were no injuries or fatalities amongst CPC staff or contractors. There was no oil spill,” CPC said, adding that the tankers remained afloat.

CPC did not identify any party as responsible for the incident.

The past week has seen a sharp escalation in attacks by both Russia and Ukraine on shipping in the Black and Azov seas.

The CPC is a 940-mile (1,510 km) oil pipeline connecting Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea oil deposits with Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. Oil loaded at Novorossiysk is then taken by tanker to world markets. CPC accounts for about 80 percent of Kazakhstan’s oil exports.

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