Egypt’s deputy PM says drone strike missed key LNG storage tanks
A drone struck a liquefied natural gas (LNG) service vessel at Damietta Port but failed to hit its main storage tanks, preventing a potentially more serious incident, Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir said on Thursday.
El-Wazir said the drone struck the upper section of a staircase above the deck of a floating storage vessel, triggering an explosion without reaching the vessel’s main LNG storage tanks.
He said the drone also hit the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), damaging a gas pipeline and an auxiliary tank above the vessel. Escaping gas ignited immediately, causing the fire, while the vessel’s main storage tank and regasification units were not damaged.
El-Wazir said the Damietta Port Authority, in coordination with other state agencies, deployed four tugboats to tow the burning vessel about 3.5 km (2.2 miles) away from the berth as a precaution against any further risk.
He said the rapid response prevented damage to other vessels and port infrastructure, allowing Damietta Port to remain fully operational throughout the incident, with around 15 vessels arriving and departing according to schedule.
El-Wazir said the vessel was later moved to an offshore anchorage about 10 to 12 km (6 to 7.5 miles) from the coast while technical teams continued to assess the damage.
He added that Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly had instructed the transport and petroleum ministries to upgrade firefighting systems at Egyptian ports to strengthen emergency response capabilities following the incident.
Damietta Port continues to operate at full capacity and is scheduled to receive a roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo vessel on Friday, El-Wazir said.
Earlier on Thursday, Egyptian authorities said preliminary investigations had found that a drone caused the 29 July fire aboard two vessels at Damietta Port. The investigation is continuing, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English