Overview
- The Sheskharis terminal in Novorossiysk has not loaded any crude tankers since July 21–22, according to vessel tracking and satellite data reported across multiple outlets.
- Sheskharis normally shipped about 650,000 barrels per day this year, a shortfall that amounts to roughly one-fifth of Russia's seaborne exports.
- The halt follows a broader wave of Ukrainian aerial and naval drone activity that also forced suspension of loadings at the nearby Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal and prompted Kazakhstan to cut production.
- Russian authorities warned ships that parts of the Black Sea are unsafe because of drone threats, a move that has pushed buyers to consider alternative routes, raised freight and insurance costs, and helped lift Brent above $100.
- Investigations and damage assessments are under way and markets will watch whether terminals can restart, whether Kazakhstan's Tengiz flows stay reduced, and how the outage affects grain and local port operations.