Critical Hours in the Black Sea! Two Greek oil tanker Hit

Near Russia’s Novorossiysk port in the Black Sea, two Greece-based oil tankers waiting around the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal were attacked by unidentified drones. The incident has raised concerns about the security of energy shipments in the region.

On January 13, 2026, multiple Greek-managed oil tankers, including the Delta Harmony, Delta Supreme, and Freud, were struck by unidentified drones near Russia’s Black Sea coast, heading to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal for loading, with at least four vessels reportedly affected, causing damage but no immediate injuries, escalating tensions and impacting Kazakh oil exports.

Key Details:

Vessels Involved: Tankers like Delta Harmony, Delta Supreme, Freud, and Matilda (operated by Thenamaris) were targeted.
Location: Near the CPC terminal off the Russian Black Sea coast.

At Novorossiysk, drones targeted two oil tankers near the CPC terminal. According to Reuters, the attack occurred at a time when energy supply is critical, and the responsible party has not yet been identified.

The Delta Harmony tanker, operated by Greece-based Delta Tankers, was planning to load oil from Kazakhstan’s Tengiz field. The other vessel, the Matilda tanker, belongs to Thenamaris and was scheduled to pick up oil from the Karachaganak field.

THENAMARIS: NO INJURIES

Thenamaris confirmed that the Matilda tanker, about 30 miles off the CPC terminal and in ballast, was targeted by two drones. The company stated: “Preliminary assessments indicate no crew injuries. There was limited and repairable damage to the deck. The ship is seaworthy and departing the area.”

Maritime safety sources reported that a small fire broke out on the vessel but was quickly controlled. CPC officials declined to comment on the incident.

CRITICAL REGION FOR ENERGY SUPPLY

The attack occurred at a strategic point for regional oil exports. The CPC line, which carries about 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports, extends to the Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka terminal near Novorossiysk. Previously, in November, one of the terminal’s buoys was damaged in a drone attack, disrupting oil shipments.

Sources say that restrictions at the Black Sea terminal caused a significant drop in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas condensate production in early January. The recent attack highlights how commercial shipping and global energy corridors in the Black Sea are increasingly at risk amid the Russia-Ukraine war.