Drone Strikes Rock Black Sea Oil Transit

Drone attacks targeted two oil tankers in the Black Sea, including one chartered by Chevron, as they headed towards Russia's Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka terminal. The assaults occurred amid reduced Kazakh oil output and growing tension in the region. War insurance for vessels has risen significantly post-attacks.

On Tuesday, drone strikes targeted two oil tankers in the Black Sea, including a vessel chartered by U.S. oil giant Chevron, as they navigated towards a Russian terminal. The tankers were on their way to the Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka terminal, which handles a significant portion of Kazakh and Russian crude exports.

The attacks unfolded amid troubles in Kazakhstan's oil production, which plummeted by 35% earlier in January due to weather and infrastructure issues rooted in prior hostilities. While Ukraine remains silent on any involvement, tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate. War insurance costs have surged following these incidents, covering potential damages for ships traversing the volatile region.

Chevron, along with Greek firms managing the impacted vessels, confirmed the safety of all crew members. They stated the tankers, including the Delta Harmony and Matilda, encountered projectiles but suffered minimal damage. The shipping firms launched investigations to assess and tackle the security threats posed in the Black Sea.

(With inputs from agencies.)