HomeStorm Bottleneck at CPC while Black Sea Loadings Pause as Storage Fills Up
Storm Bottleneck at CPC while Black Sea Loadings Pause as Storage Fills Up
December 30, 2025
A bout of severe weather in the Black Sea has forced the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) to suspend exports from its terminal near Novorossiysk, while inbound intake was also halted because storage reservoirs reached capacity. The weather disruption lands on top of weeks of constrained operations after a November 29 drone strike and ongoing maintenance that left the terminal relying largely on one single-point mooring, tightening the export “release valve” for Kazakhstan’s main crude outlet.
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Taiwan Strait uncertainty jumps as live-fire zones expand
China launched its largest drills around Taiwan in years, including live-fire activity and an encirclement-style footprint with multiple temporary danger zones.
The messaging highlighted a port-squeeze scenario, making this a high-impact shipping story even if the strait is not officially closed.
The footprint
Drill geometry was described as multiple zones around Taiwan, with a posted live-fire timing window that encourages “wait outside then bunch” vessel behavior near approaches.
The first commercial hit
Operators typically widen clearance and re-time arrivals. That shows up as missed berth windows, feeder knock-ons, and more rolled cargo risk in nearby hub rotations.
The money layer
War-risk checks and contract clauses move to the front. If delays persist, effective capacity tightens and rates can firm on certain legs while voyage costs rise.
Bottom line
The market risk is not only distance. It is schedule volatility and fast-changing risk pricing around a critical trade lane, which can ripple into costs, insurance terms, and network reliability in days, not weeks.
CPC Black Sea export disruption: storm pauses loadings as storage tightens
Item
Summary
Business mechanics
Bottom-line effect
Storm pause
CPC said it suspended oil exports from its Black Sea terminal due to bad weather.
When sea state and wind conditions prevent safe berthing and hose operations, loadings stop immediately, even if pipeline inflows upstream are still arriving.
📉 Short, sharp export outages can trigger schedule slippage, lineup congestion, and higher voyage variability for tankers fixed around CPC parcels.
Storage hits the ceiling
CPC also reported that the terminal halted oil intake because storage reservoirs were full, until weather improves.
If ships cannot lift cargo and tanks fill, the terminal loses buffer capacity. The constraint then moves upstream, forcing throughput reductions and, in some cases, production moderation at connected fields.
📉 Storage tightness turns a weather event into an upstream supply problem, raising the chance of curtailed output and rescheduled liftings.
Why the system is already tight
The terminal’s operations have been constrained since a November 29 Ukrainian drone strike, with repairs and maintenance repeatedly slowed by poor weather.
Reuters reporting says the terminal has been operating mainly with a single mooring point (SPM-1), while other moorings were offline due to attack damage and maintenance delays.
📉 Less loading redundancy means every storm window has a bigger impact than normal, because there is less ability to “catch up” when weather clears.
Volume impact already visible
Reuters said December CPC Blend loadings were revised down to about 1.14 million bpd from an initial 1.7 million bpd plan, with cancellations announced as constraints persisted.
Lower planned loadings reflect fewer workable lifting slots and slower turnaround at the offshore loading points. Fewer liftings also increase the risk of bunching as shippers try to re-slot cargoes.
📉 Less exportable volume pressures term commitments and spot availability. 📈 It can support prompt crude pricing and widen differentials versus substitute grades when alternatives are limited.
Upstream knock-on in Kazakhstan
Reuters reported Kazakhstan’s oil output fell about 6% in December 1–28 versus the November average, with Tengiz output down about 10% over the same period, amid export constraints at CPC.
When the main export outlet tightens, producers can face a practical choice: slow production, divert to smaller routes, or build inventories. Storage limits at the terminal reduce flexibility.
📉 Production moderation reduces immediate cashflow and lifts unit costs at fields. It also raises the stakes for restoring loading capacity quickly.
Who is exposed
CPC handles around 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports, and Reuters notes the route is used by fields linked to major international oil companies including Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Eni, and Shell.
Concentration risk is high because alternative export routes exist, but are typically smaller, more complex, or less commercially attractive than CPC for many barrels.
📉 Export concentration means disruptions can translate into wider supply chain impacts quickly, from lifting schedules to refinery feedstock planning.
Tanker market mechanics
When loadings pause, ships can stack up offshore, then rush to lift when weather clears, creating a stop–start pattern in port calls and chartering.
The immediate effect is often higher waiting time and more re-sequencing of voyages. That can ripple into demurrage exposure and short-term tonnage positioning around the Black Sea.
📉 Higher delay risk can erode voyage earnings and disrupt backhaul timing. 📈 Tight windows can temporarily support local freight demand once loadings resume.
Notes: CPC’s storm-related suspension and intake halt were reported on Dec 30, 2025. Reuters reporting provides operational context on the Nov 29 drone strike, mooring availability, and the December loading plan revisions, as well as Kazakhstan production effects linked to export constraints.
Complementary readout
CPC storm pause: how a weather stop becomes a supply chain squeeze
The story is not only that loadings paused. It is that storage filled, which turns a marine delay into upstream constraints and a tighter tanker scheduling window.
Operational sequence in 60 seconds
Baseline
Terminal capacity already reduced
CPC’s Black Sea system has had less redundancy in recent weeks, so the buffer to absorb disruptions has been thinner than normal.
Trigger
Storm conditions halt safe loading
When sea state and wind prevent safe mooring and hose operations, the loading program pauses immediately, even if upstream crude continues to arrive.
Constraint
Tanks fill and intake stops
Once storage reaches capacity, the terminal cannot accept additional crude, which shifts the constraint upstream and forces throughput reductions.
After-effect
Catch-up window becomes expensive
When weather improves, ships tend to bunch around the first available slots, creating a stop and start rhythm that raises waiting time risk and rescheduling complexity.
Scale markers people are watching
Revised December CPC Blend load plan
~1.14 million bpd
Reported revision lower than the initial plan of ~1.7 million bpd as constraints persisted.
Initial December plan referenced
~1.7 million bpd
The gap between planned and revised liftings is the key signal for prompt availability and lineup pressure.
Kazakhstan export exposure via CPC
~80%
High concentration means terminal interruptions can quickly show up as changes in upstream production and cargo scheduling.
Initial plan~1.7 million bpd
Reference level for the month before constraints forced changes.
Revised plan~1.14 million bpd
Lower lifting volume implies fewer workable slots and more sensitive timing around weather windows.
A useful mental model is “buffer capacity.” When tanks are not full, storms mainly delay ships. When tanks are full, storms can also force upstream throttling.
Who gets hit first and how it shows up in costs
Tanker owners and operators
Waiting time risk
Weather stops and restart bunching can translate into longer time at anchorage, tighter laycan management, and more re-sequencing of voyages around the Black Sea.
Producers and pipeline shippers
Throughput constraint
When terminal storage is full, the constraint moves upstream. The cost shows up as curtailed production, higher unit costs, and deferred cashflow until liftings normalize.
Traders and refiners
Prompt supply uncertainty
Fewer confirmed liftings and shifting schedules can tighten prompt CPC Blend availability, increasing the value of optionality and substitutes in short-term feedstock planning.
Insurers and financiers
Claims and exposure watch
Storm-driven delays plus reduced operating redundancy increase disruption sensitivity. That can show up as closer scrutiny of voyage planning, waiting patterns, and operational controls.
The signposts to watch are simple: how quickly loadings resume after weather improves, whether storage levels regain buffer room, and whether the loading program is revised again.
The CPC pause shows how quickly a Black Sea weather event can turn into a broader export constraint when storage is already tight. With fewer workable loading windows and limited buffer in the system, the immediate impact is felt in tanker scheduling, delayed liftings, and short-term uncertainty around CPC Blend availability. The wider market effect depends on how fast the terminal restores a steadier loading rhythm and rebuilds storage headroom once conditions improve.
