Explosion Reported on Crude Tanker Off the Coast of Libya

A Greek-managed crude tanker has suffered an explosion at a position off the coast of Libya, according to maritime security consultancy Vanguard. 

In an advisory, Vanguard said that the 158,000 dwt tanker Vilamoura suffered a possible security incident at a position about 80 nautical miles off the coast of Libya. The ship reported an explosion and a flooded engine room.

The oceangoing tug Boka Summit met up with Vilamoura at a position off Benghazi on Saturday afternoon, and appears to have taken the tanker in tow, based on AIS data provided by Pole Star. As of Sunday night, Vilamoura and Boka Summit were under way in the central Mediterranean, headed towards Greece and making about four knots.

In the past year, Vilamoura made two calls at Russian ports - one at Ust-Luga and another in the Russian sector of the Black Sea. Heavy GPS jamming makes it difficult to determine where in the Black Sea region the vessel went, but it appears that she spent time near Sochi and Novorossiysk; the latter is a loading port for both Russian and Kazakh crude. Her presence at Russian ports could have bearing on the incident off Libya, noted Vanguard. 

"Some have speculated that the [Vilamoura] was the victim of a limpet mine attack, although this remains unconfirmed by official sources," Vanguard reported. "Of note, a number of tankers have been involved in explosions since early 2025 that investigators believe were caused by limpet mines, including the Malta-flagged Seajewel, the Marshall Islands-flagged Seacharm, the Liberia-flagged Grace Ferrum, and the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Kola. All had recently called at Russian ports."