Explosions rock three tankers in Mediterranean after stops at Russian ports

Reuters reported the information, citing sources in the shipping and security sectors.

All three vessels had recently visited Russian ports, according to ship-tracking data. The publication notes that these incidents mark the first time in decades that civilian ships in the Mediterranean have been targeted by such explosions.

On February 15, an explosion damaged the Seajewel tanker, operated by Greece-based Thenamaris, while docked at the Italian port of Savona. The blast caused a breach just below the waterline, and another explosion occurred 20 minutes later, though it did not cause further damage. Local prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.

In late January, another Thenamaris-operated tanker, Seacharm, was damaged by an explosion at Turkey’s Ceyhan port, according to Reuters sources.

The most severe case occurred in Libya in February, where the Grace Ferrum, operated by Cyprus-based Cymar, suffered such extensive damage that a rescue operation was required, three sources told Reuters. The ship sails under the Liberian flag. Cymar has not responded to requests for comment.

The maritime industry has expressed growing concerns over the incidents. “These explosions are highly unusual and raise serious security questions,” one industry expert told Reuters.

Reuters also recalls a December incident, when a blast struck the engine room of the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major, which had reportedly been transporting supplies for Russian forces in Syria. The vessel sank, and three crew members remain missing. The ship’s owner, Oboronlogistika, a company linked to Russia’s defense ministry, described the explosion as a “deliberate terrorist attack.”

Meanwhile, Ukrainian media have claimed that the Seajewel is part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, which allegedly moves Russian oil to European markets in violation of Western sanctions. Investigators suggest that hundreds of such vessels operate without direct ties to Russia but are used to bypass restrictions.