Greek oil tanker damaged in suspected Black Sea drone attack near Russian port

Greek‑flagged oil tanker damaged in suspected Black Sea drone attack near Russian port

A Greek‑flagged oil tanker was damaged in a suspected drone strike in the Black Sea while approaching the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Saturday, Greek authorities said. The vessel, the Maran Homer, was chartered by U.S. oil giant Chevron and suffered material damage but sustained no injuries among its 24 crew members, and its seaworthiness was not compromised.

Greek Maritime Affairs Minister Vassilis Kikilias described the incident as “unacceptable and extremely dangerous” and said Athens would lodge a “strong complaint” with the country deemed responsible. While he did not name the attacker at first, the minister later identified Ukraine as the state that frequently carries out attacks in the Black Sea.

Kikilias also suggested the strike could be linked to a recent U.S. decision to temporarily ease some sanctions on Russian oil shipments, a move prompted by market volatility stemming from the ongoing war between Iran and its regional adversaries. The broader conflict has already strained Greece’s sizable shipping sector, leaving dozens of Greek‑flagged or Greek‑owned vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf.

The Maran Homer was on a routine voyage from Thessaloniki, northern Greece, to the Russian port of Novorossiysk, where it was scheduled to take on Kazakh oil before proceeding to Istanbul. The attack, which occurred early on Saturday, caused only material damage and did not threaten the vessel’s ability to continue its journey.

Greek officials have not provided further details about the weapon used, describing it only as a “missile or drone.” The incident adds to a growing pattern of unmanned attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea, a waterway already fraught with danger due to the Ukraine‑Russia war and the spill‑over effects of the Iran conflict.