Oil tanker blasts off Libyan coast after visiting Russian ports

(MENAFN) An oil tanker carrying nearly one million barrels of crude oil exploded off Libya’s coast shortly after leaving Zuetina port and heading toward Gibraltar. The incident occurred on June 27, causing engine room flooding and leaving the vessel adrift. According to its operator, TMS Tankers, there were no injuries or environmental damage. The exact cause of the explosion is still unknown.

The tanker, Vilamoura, sails under the Marshall Islands flag and had recently made stops at Russian oil terminals — Ust-Luga in April and the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) near Novorossiysk in May. These facilities mainly handle Kazakh crude. Bloomberg reported that Vilamoura is the fifth tanker since early 2025 to suffer similar unexplained damage after visiting Russian ports.

The explosions come as Western governments increase scrutiny of ships tied to Russian oil exports. The EU and US have accused Moscow of using a “shadow fleet” of tankers operating outside Western regulations to skirt sanctions — a claim Russia rejects, calling the restrictions unlawful.

In response to the incidents, some shipowners are now employing divers and submersibles to inspect vessel hulls for potential underwater mines. Bloomberg linked the pattern of attacks to Ukraine, which has previously struck Russian energy infrastructure, including CPC-operated facilities. Moscow claims such actions violate ceasefire terms and are meant to undermine peace negotiations.

Built in 2011, the Vilamoura has a cargo capacity of over 158,000 tons. It is currently being towed to Greece for a full damage assessment, according to VesselFinder tracking data.

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