Three tankers carrying Russian diesel fuel have set course toward the United States following a partial easing of U.S. restrictions on trade in Russian petroleum products. According to a Financial Times investigation, the vessels are Agioi Fanendes, Talisman and Leruo, carrying a combined total of approximately 140,000 metric tons of fuel.
The FT reported that some of the cargoes were expected to arrive in November. The paper paid particular attention to Leruo, which, according to its reporting, is subject to European Union, British and Canadian sanctions. A vessel's sanctions designation in one jurisdiction does not automatically bar every transaction involving it in the United States; the terms of each shipment and discharge must be considered separately.
The specialist shipping publication Lloyd's List independently examined vessel-tracking data and also reported several Russian diesel shipments linked to the U.S. market. However, the two publications' accounts of observed routes and the status of individual ships do not fully match. A tanker can change course during a voyage, and a destination listed in tracking data does not prove that its cargo was actually unloaded there.
The new shipments became possible after Washington authorized limited exemptions from sanctions restrictions. Debate continues in the United States over whether such administrative authorizations are consistent with the congressional ban on Russian energy imports. U.S. lawmakers have sought further explanations and documents concerning potential shipments.
At the time of reporting, the shipments were still planned: the arrival of all three tankers and the discharge of Russian diesel at U.S. ports had not been confirmed. Russian officials had referred to three shipments, while maritime tracking showed differing vessel positions and possible route changes.