Ukraine Strikes Key Russian Oil Port, Offshore Wind Deals in Asia

## Ukraine Strikes Primorsk Oil Port in Russia In a significant escalation of the conflict, Ukraine has struck the port of Primorsk, Russia's largest oil-loading terminal on the Baltic Sea, with long-range drone attacks. The overnight strike on March 23 ignited a fire at the facility, which processes up to 1.5 million barrels of oil and oil products per day. According to Splash247, the attack was part of a 'massive coordinated drone and missile strike' on Russian energy infrastructure. Primorsk is a critical export hub for Russian crude oil, so the disruption could impact global oil supply and prices. The strike demonstrates Ukraine's growing capability to hit targets deep inside Russia, raising concerns about further attacks on Russian energy assets. It also underscores the vulnerability of Russia's maritime supply chains, which have been a key focus of Ukraine's military strategy. ## Cadeler Wins Offshore Wind O&M Deals in Asia In other news, Cadeler's service arm, Nexra, has signed two new operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts for offshore wind projects in Japan and Taiwan. As reported by Splash247, the Japan contract is scheduled to commence in spring 2026 and run for 1-2 months, though the contract value was not disclosed. Cadeler will also carry out O&M work in Taiwan, though details on the duration and value of that contract were not provided. These deals highlight the growing importance of specialized offshore wind service vessels and expertise as the Asia-Pacific region ramps up its offshore wind capacity. Cadeler is positioning itself as a key player in supporting the construction and long-term maintenance of wind farms in these emerging markets. ## CIMC Raffles Lands First VLCC Orders In a sign of the shifting dynamics in the tanker market, Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles has secured its first-ever orders for very large crude carriers (VLCCs) from Bruton, a European shipping company. According to Seatrade Maritime, the contract is for four VLCC newbuilds, marking CIMC Raffles' diversification into the large tanker segment. This reflects the strong demand for new tonnage to replace aging vessels and meet environmental regulations. The deal underscores CIMC Raffles' ambitions to expand beyond its traditional focus on offshore vessels and enter the lucrative tanker market. As the global fleet transitions, shipyards with the capability to build a wide range of vessel types are likely to be in high demand.