Potential Russian covert cargo ship possibly destroyed in the Mediterranean waters
The recent limpet mine attacks on Russian-linked tankers, including the significant explosion off the Libyan coast on June 27, have intensified investigations by maritime security agencies and raised concerns about geopolitical implications.
On June 30, the Greek-managed crude oil tanker *Vilamoura* suffered a large explosion in its engine room while transiting about 80 nautical miles off Libya’s coast. The blast caused flooding, forcing the vessel to be towed slowly towards Greece by a tugboat. No casualties have been reported, but the tanker sustained serious damage to its engine room.
Maritime investigators and analysts suspect the use of a limpet mine, a covert underwater explosive device often attached to hulls for sabotage. While the exact cause remains unconfirmed, the pattern matches previous incidents where vessels connected to Russian ports suffered similar attacks.
The *Vilamoura* had recently called at major Russian oil terminals, including Ust-Luga and Black Sea ports near Sochi and Novorossiysk, which are key export points for Russian and Kazakh crude. This connection suggests a targeted campaign against ships involved in Russian energy exports.
These attacks fit into a worrying trend during 2025, with multiple unexplained explosions on oil tankers that previously visited Russian ports. Security experts and investigative agencies are exploring whether these incidents are part of geopolitical maneuvering amid heightened tensions involving Russia.
The repeated targeting of oil tankers linked to Russian exports points to a strategic intent to disrupt Russia’s maritime energy supply chains, potentially affecting global energy markets. Such attacks escalate maritime security concerns across key international shipping lanes, especially in politically volatile regions like the Mediterranean and near the Black Sea.
Investigations are ongoing, with maritime security consultants, naval experts, and intelligence agencies collaborating to determine the perpetrators, methods, and motives behind the limpet mine attacks. The incident off Libya is the latest in a series, and maritime observers expect further developments as the pattern continues to unfold.
Analysts warn that these attacks may be part of a larger geopolitical conflict involving proxy actions or covert naval warfare, reflecting the broader strategic contest over energy resources and regional influence. The geopolitical tensions caused by Western sanctions are likely the reason for the threat to vessels in the Russian oil trade.
The tanker Vilamoura, loaded with 1 million barrels of oil, is currently being towed to Greek waters. A full assessment of the damage and all details of the explosion on the tanker Vilamoura will be conducted when the ship arrives in Greece. However, as of now, the article does not provide any new insights or reports from Dryad Global or other maritime security experts about the investigation into the explosion on the tanker Vilamoura.
The threat to vessels in the Russian oil trade is a matter of ongoing concern, and the investigations aim to uncover the origins of these attacks and to implement measures to prevent future sabotage.
- The limpet mine attack on the Greek-managed crude oil tanker Vilamoura off Libya's coast, following recent war-and-conflicts-related events and previous attacks on Russian-linked tankers, has raised concerns about the political implications and broader geopolitical maneuvering.
- As investigations into the limpet mine attack on the Vilamoura continue, general-news outlets are monitoring the situation closely to determine whether these incidents are part of a strategic intent to disrupt Russia's maritime energy supply chains or a larger geopolitical conflict involving proxy actions and covert naval warfare.
