Egyptian Officials Confirm Drone Caused Fires on Two LNG Vessels at Damietta Port

The Egyptian Cabinet stated that preliminary investigations found the July 29 incident at Damietta Port on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast was caused by a drone. No party had claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the cabinet. Authorities indicated they were continuing to investigate the circumstances. Officials added that necessary measures would be taken to protect Egypt’s interests and national security.

Maritime risk firm Ambrey reported an explosion at a US-owned floating liquefied natural gas facility at the port during cargo discharge operations. The drone hit the Energos Winter, causing a fire that spread to the Gaslog Salem, an LNG carrier operated by a Greek shipping company, three trading sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Joshua Hutchinson, Ambrey’s chief commercial officer, said in an interview that the explosion was believed to have been caused by a drone attack. The Energos Winter was struck on its starboard side, according to British maritime risk management group Vanguard.

US President Donald Trump vowed a «very hard» response after the drone struck the US-owned LNG tanker. The statement came on July 29 as initial reports of the incident circulated among marine tracking companies. The event has heightened concerns about the spread of regional conflicts into critical energy infrastructure.

Damietta Port hosts one of Egypt’s primary LNG terminals, with facilities that hold a total capacity exceeding 10 million tonnes per annum, Global Energy Monitor data shows. The SEGAS plant at the site features a single train with output of roughly 5 million tonnes annually and ranks among the world’s largest such operations. Its location supports both LNG exports and substantial container handling that reaches millions of TEUs each year.

The Energos Winter floating storage and regasification unit can hold 138,250 cubic metres of gas, company details indicate. The fire was brought under control a day before Egyptian officials issued their confirmation on the drone’s role. Security sources assessed the blast as resulting from a drone strike, two separate sources told Reuters.

Egyptian officials confirmed the drone involvement a full day after the blaze had been extinguished on the two vessels. The confirmation aligned with assessments provided by multiple maritime security firms that monitored the event. Further updates on the investigation are anticipated as authorities seek additional information on the circumstances.