Drone Strike Ignites Fire on Two Gas Vessels at Egypt’s Damietta Port

On July 29, 2026, a fire broke out aboard two gas-handling vessels docked at Damietta Port on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Emergency teams extinguished the blaze and evacuated crew members, with the Ministry of Petroleum reporting no injuries or fatalities. The vessels involved were the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Energos Winter (IMO 9256614) and the adjacent tanker Gaslog Salem (IMO 9638915).

DRONE STRIKE IN EGYPT: US-Owned Floating Natural Gas Facility Attacked at Damietta Port, Vessels Evacuated

The incident occurred amid a surge of aerial attacks across the Middle East. In the days preceding the fire, Iran launched missile strikes against U.S. forces in Jordan, and the United States and Saudi Arabia carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq. U.S. President Donald Trump subsequently warned of a “very hard” response to any further attacks. The broader escalation has raised concerns that hostilities could spread from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to the Eastern Mediterranean.

YnetNews

• Energos Winter – a U.S.-owned FSRU with a storage capacity of 138,250 cubic metres, operated by Wilhelmsen Ship Management (U.S. subsidiary).

Reuters

• Gaslog Salem – a gas storage tanker positioned alongside Energos Winter.

Drone Strike Hits U.S.-Owned Energos Winter at Egypt’s Damietta Port, Spreads Fire: how 24 outlets framed it

Both ships were moved offshore after the fire, and Kpler, a maritime-tracking firm, confirmed that operations at Damietta, one of Egypt’s main LNG import terminals, were disrupted.

DRONE STRIKE IN EGYPT: US-Owned Floating Natural Gas Facility Attacked at Damietta Port, Vessels Evacuated

• No party claimed responsibility.

Egypt's Cabinet says preliminary probe finds drone behind Damietta Port vessel fire

• Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi inspected the site, oversaw firefighting and security teams, and directed technical assessments of the damage.

Reuters

• British maritime-security firm Ambrey and risk-management group Vanguard identified a drone strike as the likely cause, noting an “unidentified projectile” struck Energos Winter on its starboard side.

Reuters

• Initial statements from the Ministry of Petroleum described only a fire on a regasification and a storage vessel, without mentioning a drone.

Fire contained at Egypt’s Damietta Port; no casualties reported

• Subsequent reports from Ambrey, Vanguard, and trading sources attributed the blaze to a drone, while the Egyptian cabinet later confirmed the drone assessment.

Egypt Confirms Drone Caused Damietta Port Vessel Fire

• No official source has identified the operator, launch location, or motive behind the drone, and no group has claimed responsibility.

Egypt Confirms Drone Caused Damietta Port Vessel Fire

• “We’re going to be hitting them very hard because it’s our turn to hit them.” — Donald Trump, president

Drone Strike Hits U.S.-Owned Energos Winter at Egypt’s Damietta Port, Spreads Fire: how 24 outlets framed it

• “The situation was dealt with immediately in accordance with the emergency plans … and firefighting and safety teams at the site,” — The Egyptian Ministry

WION

These statements capture the U.S. administration’s stance on retaliation and the Egyptian ministry’s description of the emergency response.

Reuters