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.
