Sanaa: The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) reported a drone attack that targeted the oil tanker Nelsa while it was in the process of loading at the Black Sea terminal near Russia's Novorossiysk. The incident resulted in fires breaking out on the vessel's deck and within several compartments.

According to Anadolu Agency, CPC stated on Telegram that oil loading operations were halted following the attack. However, there was no oil spill or ignition of oil in the tanks. The drone strike affected the aft starboard side of the tanker, causing fires that were quickly extinguished by the tanker's crew and emergency response teams aboard CPC vessels.

The tanker remained stable post-attack, although its international crew of 22 members was evacuated, leaving only the captain and chief officer on board to manage the situation. The CPC highlighted the attack posed 'significant environmental and technological risks' and threatened the safety of crew members from various nations.

In response, the consortium urged its member states to denounce the attack and collaborate to develop measures under international law aimed at preventing further assaults on infrastructure essential for exporting Kazakhstan's hydrocarbon resources. This attack follows Kazakh authorities' condemnation of drone strikes carried out the previous day.

Previously, the CPC reported a similar drone attack on its Black Sea terminal near Novorossiysk, which led to a temporary suspension of oil loading. The July 19 incident involved two tankers, but no casualties or oil spills were reported. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry labeled these incidents as "deliberate actions aimed at destabilizing global energy markets and the security of global transport and logistics supply chains," urging an immediate cessation of such attacks and the implementation of protective measures for the country's hydrocarbon export infrastructure.