A drone strike on two gas carriers at Egypt’s Damietta port has disrupted operations at the country’s LNG import hub, with Iran remaining the principal suspect and the US-owned floating storage and regasification unit Energos Winter taking a direct hit, according to Splash247.
Damage assessments under way
The impact occurred on Wednesday while Energos Winter was alongside, starting a fire that spread to the adjacent 155,000 cu m LNG carrier GasLog Salem, according to Egyptian officials and maritime security reporting cited by Splash247. Emergency teams extinguished the fires with no casualties reported, and both vessels were moved offshore, where surveyors are now examining the damage.
Initial reports placed the damage to Energos Winter on its starboard side, while GasLog Salem was reportedly affected near its forward cargo-tank area. Splash247 noted it remains unclear whether GasLog Salem was struck separately or damaged by the spreading fire and debris. No major LNG release has been reported; the absence of casualties and the successful removal of both ships suggest the emergency response prevented a considerably more serious incident.
| Vessel | Type | Reported damage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energos Winter | US-owned FSRU | Direct hit, starboard side | Moved offshore for survey, no return-to-service timeline |
| GasLog Salem | 155,000 cu m LNG carrier | Affected near forward cargo-tank area | Moved offshore, damage source unclear |
Port operations and LNG capacity
The wider Damietta port remained operational, with unaffected berths reopening quickly, Splash247 reported. Operations at the LNG import hub were disrupted, however, and the status of the berth used by Energos Winter remains unclear. Kpler said both ships had been moved offshore while authorities assessed the situation.
The temporary loss of the FSRU reduces Egypt’s import flexibility during peak summer gas demand. Energos Winter is one of four floating regasification units supporting the country’s energy system, with the other three stationed at Ain Sokhna, according to Splash247.
Attribution and investigation
Egypt’s cabinet confirmed on Thursday that preliminary investigations had established a drone as the cause, according to Splash247. Components recovered from the aircraft are being examined, but Cairo has not publicly identified the attacker, and no organisation has claimed responsibility.
Behind the scenes, Egyptian officials initially blamed Iran and viewed the operation as an attempt to widen the conflict beyond the Gulf and Red Sea, according to the Wall Street Journal. The assessment points towards the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, although no drone type, launch position or flight path has been disclosed. The timing supports suspicions of Iranian involvement: the attack followed renewed exchanges between Tehran and Washington and strikes against Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, and the target had strategic value — Energos Winter is American-owned and supports an energy corridor close to the northern entrance of the Suez Canal.
The Houthis denied initial suggestions that they were responsible, insisting their current maritime campaign is directed against Saudi Arabia, Splash247 reported. A direct launch from Yemen would require a drone to cover around 2,000 km and cross or avoid several monitored air-defence zones. An Iranian-linked operation could instead have used a closer launch site, a proxy organisation or a maritime platform; these remain possibilities rather than established findings, and forensic examination of the recovered components will be central to attribution.
Red Sea security backdrop
The Damietta attack comes as Saudi Arabia builds a new coalition to protect the Red Sea. Fourteen countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Sudan, Djibouti, Nigeria and Somalia, have backed the Riyadh-led initiative following a meeting attended by 43 states and the EU, according to Splash247. The proposed force will focus on intelligence sharing, joint operations, and protection of shipping across the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden. Saudi Arabia has described the coalition as defensive, although its creation follows repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi-linked tankers and threats against the kingdom’s western oil-export route.
Watch list
- Forensic results from recovered drone components could shift attribution and escalate or de-escalate regional tensions.
- Return-to-service timeline for Energos Winter and GasLog Salem will determine how long LNG import flexibility at Damietta remains constrained.
- The status of the damaged berth and any changes in vessel routing around the Suez Canal approach will affect transit planning for LNG and other cargoes.
- Movement on the Saudi-led Red Sea coalition could alter security protocols for shipping in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden, with potential knock-on effects on insurance and routing decisions.
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