Unidentified drones attacked tankers carrying Kazakh oil in the Black Sea, amid rising tensions and recent sanctions relief for CPC.
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Oil from Kazakh oil fields is entering international trade, and last November, the United States lifted sanctions on CPC, whose shareholders include KazMunayGas (Kazakh state oil company), Russian Lukoil, American Chevron, and ExxonMobil. Chevron confirmed attacks, including one on a US-chartered ship. Furthermore, Delta Tankers’ vessel Delta Harmony, operated by Greek Thenamaris, was attacked while waiting to load cargo by unidentified drones. Thenamaris reported structural damage but decided to complete loading and continue its route as the injuries were quickly repairable. Delta Tankers operators did not respond to press inquiries, though Efsyn and Reuters suggest a fire broke out on the ship’s deck. CPC made no comment on the attacks, and the Ukrainian foreign ministry has not responded to Greek media requests, although unconfirmed reports indicate Ukrainian drones were involved in the operation. Attacks targeting tankers have occurred weekly in the Black Sea over the past two months; a similar attack hit a Russian shadow fleet tanker on January 8th, with Turkish coast guard assistance provided to the ship Elbus heading towards Russia. In December, foreign ministers from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey coordinated regarding the increasing Black Sea attacks, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning that the situation was tense and threatened escalation.
