Kazakhstan confirms attacks on its oil tankers in the Black Sea
According to the press service of the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, attacks on tankers carrying Kazakh oil have indeed occurred in the Black Sea.
The ministry clarified that the incidents occurred on Jan. 13, 2026, near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal.
«The Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirms reports of incidents that occurred on Jan. 13, 2026, in the Black Sea near the CPC marine terminal involving two vessels transporting Kazakh oil,» the ministry said in a statement.
The first incident involved the Maltese-flagged tanker «Matilda,» chartered by a subsidiary of the national company KazMunayGas. The vessel was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle.
«The vessel reported an explosion without a subsequent fire. There were no casualties or injuries among the crew. According to a preliminary assessment by technical services, the tanker remains seaworthy, with no signs of critical damage to the hull,» the agency reported.
The second incident involved the Liberian-flagged tanker «Delta Harmony,» which was awaiting the loading of crude oil at the time of the attack.
«The incident resulted in a fire that was quickly extinguished. There were no injuries among the crew,» the statement read.
According to authorities, both vessels were empty at the time of the incidents. Therefore, no damage was caused to Kazakhstan’s export resources.
«The Ministry of Energy is coordinating actions with the national operator KazMunayGas, the consortium’s administration and the shipowners to ensure the security of logistics chains and the uninterrupted flow of exports,» the agency emphasized.
On Jan. 13, two tankers carrying Kazakh oil were attacked by drones, with one of the attacks resulting in an explosion.
The CPC is one of the key export routes for Kazakh oil. Prior to the incidents in late 2025, loading was carried out at full capacity through several single-point moorings (SPMs) in the Russian port of Novorossiysk. However, by the end of December, pumping facilities were struggling with a number of negative factors, including attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces on CPC infrastructure in Russia. Despite this, loading operations continue, though at a reduced scale.
