The oil tanker Vilamoura, sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands and owned by the TMS Group (part of the Cardiff Marine Group), experienced a major explosion on board on the morning of June 28 while navigating approximately 150 kilometers off the Libyan coast, in the Gulf of Sidra. The vessel had departed from the Libyan port of Zueitina on June 26.
At the time of the explosion, the ship was carrying around 1 million barrels of crude oil. The blast caused severe damage to the engine room, resulting in flooding and a loss of maneuverability. Following the incident, the Vilamoura was taken in tow by the Maltese salvage vessel Boka Summit and directed toward Greece.
Fortunately, no injuries or oil spills were reported. The tanker is currently located south of the Peloponnese, just outside Greek territorial waters, and is being assisted not only by the Maltese vessel but also by the Greek tug PROTUG 85-1.
The incident marks the fifth explosion in 2025 involving tankers transporting crude oil from Russian ports. The vessels affected include:
- Seajewel (flag of Malta)
- Seacharm (flag of the Marshall Islands)
- Grace Ferrum (flag of Liberia)
- Kola (flag of Antigua and Barbuda)
- Vilamoura (flag of the Marshall Islands)
Three of these incidents occurred in the Mediterranean Sea in less than a month. Among the most serious was the February 15 explosion on board the Greek tanker Seajewel off the coast of Savona-Vado, which caused a one-meter hole in the hull below the waterline.
The frequency and geographic concentration of these events have led many analysts to speculate a connection with the ongoing geopolitical tensions related to the Russia–Ukraine war. According to Defence UA and the Financial Times, Ukrainian intelligence has identified the Vilamoura as part of the so-called “shadow fleet” — a covert group of vessels believed to be operating on behalf of Russia to evade Western sanctions on oil exports.
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