Discover the Coast-Buster: Ratings & Maritime News

In a significant escalation of conflicts in the region, Ukraine's military targeted the oil terminal located at the strategic Black Sea port of Tuapse on the night of November 1, 2025. This assault resulted in damages to the terminal's loading facility and impacted multiple vessels, including the Aframax tanker 'Pollux' (IMO: 9243320), the 'Coast Buster', and the Turkish product tanker 'Chai' (IMO: 9275402). Utilizing piston-engined drones, reminiscent of Ukraine's long-range UAV operations, the attack ignited at least three fires on the pier and aboard several moored vessels. Notably, NASA's FIRMS satellite fire detection data identified a significant infrared signature from the facility, clearly observable from space, underscoring the strike's intensity. Eyewitness accounts reported persistent tracer fire from air defense systems continuing well into the daylight hours of November 2, indicating that the repercussions of the attack were still unfolding after initial impacts. The incident also led to a considerable oil spill in the surrounding waters. This assault is not an isolated event; the terminal had suffered a previous attack in late September when a combination of aerial and surface drones led to breaches in Russian defenses, including a striking incident involving a suicide drone boat that reached a loading pier. The ongoing conflict continues to disrupt maritime operations in the Black Sea region, with comprehensive coverage available through photos and videos on [Maritime Executive](https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ukraine-hits-oil-pier-at-port-of-tuapse-in-long-range-drone-attack).