A Panama-flagged petroleum products tanker was reported to have been heavily damaged in a drone attack carried out by Russia at the Port of Izmail, Ukraine.
The Excellion, with a capacity of 7,842 dwt, was moored at the eastern pier of the Izmail Oil Transshipment Complex on August 20th when Russian forces carried out a series of UAV attacks on the port facilities.
According to Russian-affiliated media and military channels, the tanker was directly targeted along with critical port infrastructure, including the Triton fuel depot. It was stated that up to 20 UAVs were used in the operation and at least 30 explosions were recorded over a 90-minute period.
The tanker had arrived at the Port of Izmail from the Port of Sulina, Romania, the previous evening, loaded with petroleum products. During the attack, the tanker was continuing its unloading operations.
According to initial reports, major damage occurred to the vessel’s starboard superstructure, and fire and blast effects impacted the ship’s systems. Pump equipment and pipeline infrastructure were disabled due to heat exposure, and the vessel became unable to operate independently. Sources indicate that the ship’s towing and decommissioning are currently being considered.
Local authorities confirmed the attacks on the port infrastructure but did not officially acknowledge the damage to the ship.
The Izmail oil complex is a key logistics hub for fuel imports into Ukraine via the Danube River. The facility handles up to 20,000 tons of fuel per week, including jet fuel and low-temperature diesel, a large portion of which is sent to inland military depots supplying Ukraine’s mechanized forces.
