Explosion Hit Vilamoura Tanker: Energy Ministry Says Kazakh Oil Wasn’t On Board

While media outlets have reported that the tanker Vilamoura, which experienced an explosion off the coast of Libya, was carrying a million barrels of Kazakh oil, the Kazakh Ministry of Energy has firmly denied that any of its crude was on board, Orda.kz reports.

The Vilamoura, a tanker that previously transported KEBCO crude from Kazakhstan via Ust‑Luga and Novorossiysk, experienced an explosion in its engine room and is currently being towed to Greece. 

According to its operator, TMS Tankers, the entire crew is safe, there has been no oil spill, and the cause of the explosion remains unknown.

The Kazakh Ministry of Energy clarified the situation:

As the media report an explosion on a tanker off the coast of Libya, which, according to some sources, could be carrying Kazakh oil, we report the following. The incident occurred with a private tanker, the last loading of which was carried out in one of the ports of Libya, the information about Kazakh oil on board at the time of the incident is untrue,
 the Ministry stated.

This marks the fourth incident this year involving tankers connected to Russian ports. 

Original Author: Alina Pak