Major Russian Black Sea Terminal Suspends Tanker Loading After Ukrainian Drone Attacks

Russia’s largest Black Sea oil port has suspended tanker loading for several days following an increase in Ukrainian drone attacks in the surrounding region.

Shipping information, satellite imagery, and vessel tracking confirm that the Sheskharis oil terminal in Novorossiysk has not loaded crude oil since the morning of July 21, according to Bloomberg.

While severe weather can cause delays at the facility, a storm warning affecting Sheskharis only came into force late Thursday, two days after the final loading took place. Russian oil pipeline operator PJSC Transneft, which owns the facility, did not respond to requests for comment.

Tankers were also unable to collect barrels at the nearby CPC terminal this week due to elevated drone activity in the area. Any extended stoppage at Sheskharis risks putting further pressure on global energy markets, which are already strained by tensions in the Middle East.

Data indicates that the Sheskharis terminal has shipped an average of 650,000 barrels per day since the start of the year.

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War in Ukraine

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The operational halt follows a significant increase in Ukrainian strikes against vessels in Russia's Black Sea and Sea of Azov waters, intended to press the Kremlin toward negotiations.

Moscow has warned all shipping within the country's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea that navigation in the area is unsafe due to potential risks from air and naval drones.

On July 19, 2026, two commercial oil tankers, the ASIA and the NISSOS IOS, were attacked during loading operations at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal off Russia’s Black Sea coast near Novorossiysk.

The strikes forced an immediate suspension of crude oil exports along the Eurasian energy corridor, though no injuries, fatalities, or oil spills were reported, and a fire aboard the ASIA was quickly extinguished.

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