CPC Terminal Operations Disrupted Following Ukrainian Naval Drone Strike

A Ukrainian naval drone attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal in Novorossiysk on November 29, 2025, caused significant damage to one of the three mooring points, temporarily halting all loading operations. The consortium confirmed that Single-Point Mooring 2 (SPM-2) sustained irreparable damage, with no possibility of further operation. Emergency protocols were activated, closing the terminal’s waters to tankers and preventing oil spills.

The attack forced the captain of the Novorossiysk Port to suspend all operations and relocate tankers to areas outside CPC’s jurisdiction. CPC noted that the blast occurred during routine loading, with no personnel injuries or environmental contamination reported at the time. The terminal remains offline until the threat from unmanned maritime systems is fully mitigated.

Chevron, a major shareholder in the CPC, reported that loadings from its Tengizchevroil venture continued at the terminal as operations were partially restored via SPM-1. Analysts estimate that overall CPC exports have been reduced by approximately 50% in the aftermath, as a precautionary measure to assess full-scale damage and ensure safety protocols are maintained.

CPC is a key international oil infrastructure operator, . , connecting Kazakhstan’s Tengiz, Karachaganak, and Kashagan fields to the Yuzhnaya Ozereevka terminal in Russia. , before the disruption.

Kazakhstan has publicly condemned the strike, emphasizing the attack targeted a civilian facility protected under international law. The country’s foreign ministry has raised concerns over the repeated targeting of CPC infrastructure this year and warned that such actions could undermine bilateral relations with Ukraine.

Ukraine has not publicly commented on the incident, though its military has continued to conduct strikes on Russian oil and energy infrastructure, aiming to weaken Moscow’s wartime economy. The attack on the CPC terminal marks at least the third such incident against the facility this year, following previous strikes in February and September that also disrupted operations.

The disruption highlights the growing use of maritime drones in the Black Sea, as Ukraine expands its strategic targeting of Russian energy logistics. CPC has stated that the attack not only affects Russian interests but also those of its international shareholders, including Kazakh and U.S.-based companies.

As repairs and assessments proceed, CPC has indicated that full operations will resume once the security environment is deemed stable and the drone threat has been neutralized.