Unidentified drones attacked two Greek-owned oil tankers in the Black Sea on Tuesday, prompting alarm over maritime safety and geopolitical tensions in the region. The affected vessels are the Maltese-flagged “Matilda” and the Liberian-flagged “Delta Harmony.” Fortunately, officials from Greece’s maritime ministry reported that the tankers did not sustain major damage, and the crew members remained unharmed.
The Matilda was en route to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal located near Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk to load Kazakh oil at the time of the incident. Kazakh state energy company Kazmunaygas confirmed there were no injuries reported and stated that initial assessments suggested the vessel is still seaworthy, with no indications of serious structural damage.
The Delta Harmony was reportedly empty during the attack, according to the Kazakh energy ministry, adding that “no damage was inflicted on the export resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.” This is significant as Kazakhstan relies heavily on crude oil shipments for its economy, with around 80 percent of its oil passing through the CPC terminal.
Though the incident raises questions about security in the Black Sea, neither Greek nor Kazakh officials have attributed blame for the attacks. Ukraine, which has been actively targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure in response to the ongoing conflict spurred by Russia’s invasion, has yet to comment on the situation.
Ukraine has previously targeted the CPC terminal, including a naval drone strike last November that damaged one of its mooring points. The Ukrainian military argues that these strikes are necessary to undermine the energy revenues that fuel Russia’s military efforts. However, Kazakhstan has expressed frustration, given its dependence on these oil exports.
The ongoing conflict has seen Russia conducting nightly drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, impacting civilian areas and causing a rising death toll. Concurrently, Ukrainian energy infrastructure has faced severe bombardment, affecting heating and power supply for millions.
The escalating tensions and incidents in the Black Sea demonstrate the fragile dynamics in the region, with the potential for further incidents impacting not only energy markets but also regional security.
