Three Greek-managed oil tankers were hit by unidentified drones in the Black Sea on Tuesday. They were on their way to load crude at a terminal on Russia's coast, sources told Reuters.
The attacks come as Kazakhstan's oil production, most of which is exported via the terminal, cratered in early January. It was not immediately clear who was behind Tuesday's strikes.
Ukraine did not immediately comment. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which operates the terminal where the tankers were due to take on board cargoes, declined to comment on the attack.
Two Suezmax tankers and one Aframax tanker were hit on their way to the Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka terminal. This is a loading point for around 80 per cent of Kazakh crude destined for international markets, according to eight sources.
A Ukrainian drone hit one of three main CPC moorings at the terminal, located near the port of Novorossyisk, on November 29. Oil and gas condensate output in Kazakhstan plunged by 35 per cent between January 1 and January 12 compared to December's average.
A source familiar with the data told Reuters the drop was mainly due to export constraints via the Black Sea terminal. Kazakhstan's energy ministry said on Tuesday that CPC was continuing to export oil via one mooring.
Attacks on tankers in the Black Sea could increase both shipping and insurance costs for those seeking to load oil at Russian terminals. These terminals handle more than two per cent of global crude.
One of the tankers, the Delta Harmony, is managed by Greece's Delta Tankers, LSEG data showed. According to the sources, it was expected to load Kazakh-produced oil from Tengizchevroil, a unit of US oil major Chevron.
The Delta Supreme, also managed by Delta Tankers, was attacked as well. Delta Tankers did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
The third vessel, Matilda, was chartered by a subsidiary of Kazakhstan's state-owned KazMunayGas (KMG) and managed by Greece's Thenamaris. It was expected to load Kazakh oil from Karachaganak when it was struck, the sources added.
A Thenamaris official confirmed that Matilda was hit by two drones while waiting in ballast condition 48 kilometres off CPC's moorings. KMG also confirmed the attack.
"There were no injuries and the ship suffered minor damage to deck structures according to an initial assessment, which is fully repairable. The ship, seaworthy as it is, is now sailing away from the area," the Thenamaris official said.
Two sources in maritime security said that a fire reportedly broke out on board Matilda and was quickly extinguished. A fourth vessel, the Freud, managed by Greece's TMS, was also initially believed to have been attacked.
TMS later denied that it had been hit. Shareholders in CPC's 1,500-kilometre pipeline include KazMunayGas, units of Chevron, Russia's Lukoil and ExxonMobil.
(Reporting by Reuters in MOSCOW and LONDON, Renee Maltezou and Yannis Souliotis in ATHENS; Editing by Louise Heavens, Jan Harvey, Guy Faulconbridge and Joe Bavier)
