Greek Tanker Maran Homer Hit By Unidentified Object Near Russia’s CPC Terminal In Black Sea

An oil tanker flying the Greek flag was hit by an unidentified object early Saturday while waiting near a major oil export terminal in the Black Sea.

The incident happened near the Russian port of Novorossiysk and has raised concerns about the safety of commercial ships operating in the region.

The tanker Maran Homer, managed by Maran Tankers, was struck at about 4:35 a.m. local time (0135 GMT) while sailing outside Russian territorial waters.

The vessel was waiting for instructions to enter the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal to load crude oil from Kazakhstan.

The company said no one was injured and the crew remained safe.

The ship suffered only minor damage to its deck and some equipment. After the incident, the tanker left the Novorossiysk area.

Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry said the tanker was not carrying any Kazakh crude oil when it was hit. The vessel had been preparing to load oil through the CPC system, which carries most of Kazakhstan’s crude exports to global markets.

Greek authorities said 24 crew members were on board at the time. The crew included 10 Greeks, 13 Filipinos and one Romanian. Officials confirmed that all of them were safe and in good health.

Greece’s Ministry of Maritime and Island Policy said the vessel had sailed from Thessaloniki and was empty when the incident happened.

The Greek government expressed concern about the attack and the tensions affecting international shipping.

Maritime and Island Policy Minister Vasilis Kikilias said targeting Greek-flagged ships was unacceptable. He added that these vessels operate under charter and are involved in normal commercial trade.

Kikilias said he had informed the country’s prime minister and foreign minister about the incident. He added that Greece could raise the issue at the European Council if necessary.

He also said commercial shipping should stay outside military conflicts and political disputes, as global trade depends on safe sea transport.

Greek officials said the incident may be linked to rising tensions in the region and recent developments involving the partial restart of Russian oil movements. However, authorities have not confirmed what object struck the tanker.

The CPC pipeline system is one of the main routes used to export Kazakhstan’s crude oil. It carries oil from Kazakhstan to the export terminal at Novorossiysk, where it is loaded onto tankers for delivery to international markets.

Officials said the incident did not affect oil shipments because the tanker had not yet loaded any cargo.

References: AMNA, Reuters