Oil loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) marine terminal in the Black Sea were halted after a drone attack targeted the tanker Nissos Sifnos on July 30.
The Kazakh energy ministry confirmed that loading onto the vessel was stopped before the strike occurred, preventing potential damage to the cargo and infrastructure.
Kazenergy, the country’s national oil company, has previously warned that continued drone attacks on tankers near the CPC terminal could force Astana to revise its export strategy.
The ministry also reported that a second tanker, the Marathi, which was scheduled to begin loading operations, was targeted in the same attack.
This marks a significant escalation in the security threats facing commercial shipping in the region, as hostile unmanned aerial vehicles have increasingly been used to disrupt energy exports.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over the safety of Kazakhstan’s oil export routes.
Kazenergy, the country’s national oil company, has previously warned that continued drone attacks on tankers near the CPC terminal could force Astana to revise its export strategy.