Read Authentic Ratings for the Energos-Winter

Egypt is gearing up for the fourth quarter of 2026, when the Damietta regasification vessel 'Energos Winter' is anticipated to resume its operations following a drone attack that caused significant damage on July 29. Despite this setback, the incident has not disrupted the nation's gas market. In recent months, oil and gas exploration and production activities have gained momentum after a prolonged period of decline. Over the last two years, Egypt has seen an impressive tally of 112 new discoveries, with crude oil output demonstrating a positive trend. Notably, Eni’s discovery of the Denise gas field in the Mediterranean is estimated to contain approximately two trillion cubic feet of gas. Eni is expediting production with plans to bring it online by late 2027, a remarkably fast timeline for deepwater projects that typically require extensive development time. Additionally, Egypt has resumed operations at the undeveloped Narges field, which had been inactive since 2022, and has successfully brought BP’s Fayoum-4 well online, achieving production of 80 million cubic feet of gas per day. In the Western Desert, new wells at the Meleiha fields are poised to commence production, with production facilities expected to come online by late September, overcoming previous delays linked to debt issues. These new developments are crucial in countering the natural decline in production. With ongoing initiatives to connect four offshore fields from Cyprus—including the initial link from Cronos to the Zohr field and the Damietta LNG export facility—Egypt is strategically positioning itself as a pivotal regional gas hub.

In a remarkable feat of maritime coordination, the Damietta Port Authority successfully refloated the floating production storage unit (FPSU), the 'Energos Winter', on August 9. The extensive operation, which lasted approximately 14 hours, involved expert tug assistance to tow the vessel to the outer anchorage area, located at position 31° 38' N 031° 44' E. Prior to the operation, SMIT Salvage crafted a detailed technical plan based on thorough vessel inspections and analytical calculations. On the morning of the refloating mission, Captain Dr. Yasser Abdel Latif Ahmed and senior pilots approached the grounded FPSU, only to find rough sea conditions that rendered the initial strategy ineffective. Recognizing the urgency to refloat the vessel and mitigate further complications, a revised approach was implemented promptly at 08:30 a.m. The challenges were significant due to the turbulent sea and the complexities associated with the vessel's large wind-exposed hull area, spanning approximately 5,000 square meters. Despite several attempts, the initial efforts mobilized four dedicated tugs: 'Fahmy' with a 70-ton bollard pull and 'Hedaya', 'Saleh', and 'Soliman', each contributing 60 tons. Operations involved synchronized pulling and pushing efforts from both sides of the vessel, along with discharging ballast tanks to lighten the draft and aid in freeing the FPSU from the seafloor. Unfortunately, adverse weather conditions, including high winds, hampered the operation multiple times. An on-site assessment led to a decisive strategy shift, deploying two more tugs—the 'Hamza' with a 60-ton bollard pull and 'Abu Zeid' at 50 tons—bringing the aggregate bollard pull to a formidable 360 tons. The new strategy focused on pulling the FPSU from the stern at angles that minimized wind exposure while ensuring the bow faced north to steer clear of shallower waters. Thanks to the expertise of the pilots and tug crews, the vessel was ultimately refloated successfully. After being towed and carefully guided at a steady pace of around three knots, the 'Energos Winter' was securely anchored at the outer anchorage area by 8 p.m. After the mission, all involved vessels, including the tugs, pilot boats, and leadership team, returned to the quay, concluding the operation at 10:00 p.m. This successful mission underscored the importance of rapid adaptability and skilled navigation in maritime operations under pressure. For video highlights of the operation, check out reports with footage here: [SMIT Helps Egyptian Port Authority Refloat FSRU](https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-smit-helps-egyptian-port-authority-refloat-fsru-after-drone-strike) [Watch Video 1](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Eciu_KLyPAg) [Watch Video 2](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj-M2_QlLPU).

On July 29, 2026, at approximately 2:20 PM, two gas tankers fell victim to drone strikes at Damietta Port, Egypt. The U.S.-owned regasification vessel, 'Energos Winter', was struck by an unidentified drone on its starboard side, resulting in fires aboard both the 'Energos Winter' and the adjacent storage ship, 'Gaslog Salem' (IMO: 9638915). In response to the incident, both vessels were promptly relocated from the terminal, ensuring the safety of all crew members. Non-essential personnel were evacuated, while local fire services were deployed to control the flames. The 'Energos Winter' was located at position 31° 31' N 031° 47' E during the incident. On the adjacent 'Gaslog Salem', the drone impact occurred near the No. 2 forward cargo tanks, leading to a small fire that the crew efficiently extinguished, albeit a minor leak was reported. Fortunately, all 25 crew members aboard the 'Gaslog Salem' were confirmed safe. Yemen's Houthi group has denied any involvement in the drone assault, leaving investigators to determine the identity of the responsible parties. The Houthi-operated Foreign Ministry challenged reports linking them to the attack, asserting that their military operations are exclusively focused on Saudi Arabia. For further details, you can access reports with photos and videos from Reuters, Seatrade Maritime, and Azernews.