ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 13. The MATILDA tanker, chartered by Kazmortransflot, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, was subjected to a drone attack while stationed at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal on January 13, Trend reports via the KazMunayGas
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched an attack on the vessel, triggering an explosion, although no subsequent fire ensued. Fortunately, no crew members sustained injuries in the incident. The tanker had been scheduled to load Kazakh oil on January 18, 2026.
"Based on initial assessments, the tanker remains operational and seaworthy, with no evident signs of substantial structural damage identified during the preliminary inspection. A more thorough damage evaluation is currently underway," stated KMG.
The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) is an international oil transportation initiative involving Russia, Kazakhstan, and several major extraction companies, featuring a pipeline system extending over 1,500 kilometers. The pipeline serves as a crucial conduit for oil from vast fields in Western Kazakhstan, along with Russian producers. Crude oil is then delivered to the CPC marine terminal in the South Ozereevka region near Novorossiysk, where it is loaded onto tankers for global distribution. The CPC pipeline is responsible for transporting up to 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports.
On November 29, at 06:06 Astana time, CPC’s marine infrastructure facilities at the port of Novorossiysk were targeted by unmanned vessels. The attack caused significant damage to the SPM-2 mooring system, which is now out of service for extensive repairs.