An explosion occurred on an oil tanker at the Ust-Luga port in northwest Russia in the morning of Feb. 9, prompting an evacuation of the crew, according to the country's Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot). Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
Rosmorrechflot reported on Telegram that the blast took place in the engine room of the Koala, a vessel docked at the port west of St. Petersburg. While the explosion forced crew members to leave the ship, officials said that no oil spill or cargo leak had occurred. The ship was not at risk of sinking, they added.
The incident follows a series of tanker-related accidents in recent months. In December, two oil tankers were wrecked in the Black Sea, causing a large fuel spill that continues to wash up along the shoreline.
The tanker, built in 2023 and sailing under the Antigua and Barbuda flag, had arrived at Ust-Luga on Feb. 6, according to ship-tracking data from Vesselfinder. Russia’s Baza Telegram channel reported that the vessel was carrying 130,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the explosion, and the ship's condition is set to be inspected.
The U.S. government in January designated over 180 Russian vessels as part of a "shadow fleet" used to export crude oil despite Western sanctions. However, the Koala is not included in this list.
Last month, Ukraine's security services claimed responsibility for a drone attack on a fuel terminal at Ust-Luga, describing the port as a hub for Russia’s sanctioned oil and gas exports.
Olena Goncharova
