Egypt Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the state successfully contained a drone-induced fire aboard a regasification vessel at Damietta port, confirming that energy supplies remain unaffected and strategic alternatives have been activated.
Speaking during the weekly cabinet press conference in New Alamein, accompanied by Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir, Electricity and Renewable Energy Minister Mahmoud Esmat, Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi, and State Minister for Information Diaa Rashwan, Madbouly detailed the multi-agency emergency response.
The incident began at approximately 2:20 PM on July 29, when a fire broke out involving two vessels: a regasification ship and an adjacent storage ship stationed at the Damietta Port wharf. Madbouly stated that while the storage ship remained completely unharmed and 100% safe, the regasification ship sustained damage. To prevent a catastrophic explosion given the high-pressure liquefied natural gas onboard, emergency teams deployed four Egyptian tugboats to tow the vessel more than 3.5 kilometres out to sea.
Firefighting crews battled the complex blaze continuously for 12 to 14 hours, from 4:00 PM until 4:00 AM, utilising traditional firefighting methods, chemical agents, and drones to monitor the containment process. Madbouly praised the operation as a “national epic” and noted that port operations proceeded normally throughout the crisis, with approximately 15 commercial vessels entering and exiting Damietta Port.
Addressing potential implications for the national energy grid, Madbouly assured citizens that power supplies have not been disrupted. The government immediately deployed emergency protocols, switching power plants to operate on mazut and diesel. Additionally, the state coordinated with Jordanian authorities to integrate a reserve regasification ship stationed at Jordan’s Aqaba port into Egypt’s energy supply network.
Regarding the investigation, Madbouly explained that a security working group examined drone remnants recovered from the vessel early in the morning. He noted that no group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities are currently analysing technical data to determine the drone’s source and formulate Egypt’s official response.
