Shadow fleet oil tankers attacked by drones off Turkey’s Black Sea coast

Three oil tankers linked to a sanctions-listed "shadow fleet\" were hit by drones off Turkey’s Black Sea coast on Thursday, according to a shipping agency. The vessels were tied to exports of Russian oil and petroleum products. All crews were reported safe. Turkish coast guard boats were sent to support the ships, Turkish media reported.

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Tribeca Shipping said the Palau-flagged James II came under attack while sailing near Sinop. The agency placed the ship about 80 kilometres north of Turkeli district. Tribeca Shipping said James II was not carrying cargo at the time. No group immediately claimed responsibility, and Turkish officials were unavailable to comment.

Shadow fleet oil tankers attacked near Turkey

Tribeca Shipping also reported attacks on two Sierra Leone-flagged tankers, Altura and Velora. The agency said both were targeted during ship-to-ship operations nearby. Western sanctions lists include the ships, as part of efforts to curb sanctions evasion. The measures relate to Moscow’s war in Ukraine and oil revenue.

The coast guard response followed reports that the three vessels needed assistance after the strikes. Turkish media carried the agency statement about the incidents. The reports said there were no injuries among crew members. Details on damage were not immediately released. Maritime traffic risks were not described by officials at the time.

Altura oil tanker history and ownership details

Altura was attacked earlier in the year, according to the same agency account. On March 26, a naval drone struck Altura as the ship neared the Black Sea entrance to the Bosporus. The earlier strike damaged the bridge and the engine room. Thursday’s incident marked another attack involving Altura.

Ownership details for the tankers were listed by sanctions tracking services. OpenSanctions said Altura and Velora belong to Turkey-based Pergamon Shipping. The Palau-flagged James II was linked to a different owner. The report said James II is owned by the Marshall Islands-registered James Navigation.

Turkey stance on Black Sea drone attacks and oil tankers

Turkey previously criticised similar strikes in the Black Sea. In November, the Turkish government condemned Ukrainian drone attacks on two oil tankers. Turkey warned of serious dangers to navigation, life, property and environmental safety. During the war, Ukraine has used explosives-packed marine drones against Russian shipping, mainly in the northern Black Sea.

Thursday’s drone attacks left three sanctions-listed oil tankers damaged or disrupted near Turkey, while crews escaped harm. Tribeca Shipping provided locations and activity details for each vessel. Turkish coast guard units moved to assist, but officials did not give immediate public comment. With no claim of responsibility, the incidents added to Black Sea security concerns.

With inputs from PTI