Drone attack on oil tanker in the Black Sea: Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry issues sharp statement

On the night of July 19 to July 20, at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea, a NELSA tanker loading Kazakh oil was attacked by a drone. The attack caused a fire on the ship, but it was extinguished thanks to prompt action.

Zamin.uz presents the details of the incident, the condition of the ship, and Kazakhstan's official response.

1. Attack details: What happened to the NELSA tanker?

According to the CPC press service, the NELSA tanker was loading oil near the VPU-1 single point mooring when a drone struck the starboard side of the ship's stern, between the superstructure and the engine-boiler room.

• Fire and suppression: The drone strike caused a fire on the tanker's deck and compartments. The loading crew and CPC emergency services fully extinguished the fire within a few hours.

• Consequences: No casualties or oil spills were reported. The ship's technical condition and the extent of the damage are currently being assessed.

About the tanker: The NELSA (IMO 9408205) was built in 2010 and was previously known as FRONT NJORD and FAST KATHY . This vessel has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom (December 2024), the European Union (May 2025), the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, and Ukraine.

2. Consecutive attacks at the CPC terminal

In recent days, drone attacks on tankers carrying Kazakh oil and around the CPC terminal have increased sharply:

• July 18: A drone attack was carried out on the Nordic Zenith tanker near the CPC terminal.

• July 19: Drones struck the ASIA and NISSOS IOS tankers involved in loading Kazakh oil. Fires broke out on the ships, but oil spills were prevented, and loading operations resumed that same evening.

• January 2026: Three tankers heading toward the consortium's marine terminal in the Black Sea were attacked.

3. Kazakhstan's sharp reaction: "We demand compensation for damages"

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan assessed these attacks as unacceptable aggression against the country's economic interests.

The Ministry demanded an immediate halt to attacks on ships and infrastructure used to export Kazakh oil. Official Astana also stated it is assessing the damage and reserves the right to demand compensation under international law.

Chronicle of recent attacks at the CPC terminal

For reference: The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) brings together enterprises from Russia, the USA, and Kazakhstan. It is the main export route for oil from Kazakhstan's three largest fields — Tengiz, Kashagan, and Karachaganak to the world market.