Dozens of tankers carrying Russian oil stopped after latest US sanctions
Photo: Tankers carrying Russian oil have stopped around the world (Getty Images)
At least 65 oil tankers have anchored in various locations around the world, including off the coasts of China and Russia, since the US announced a new package of sanctions on January 10, Reuters reports.
According to MarineTraffic and the LSEG ship tracking service, on January 13, five of these tankers were anchored off Chinese ports, seven more anchored off the coast of Singapore, and the rest stopped off the coast of Russia in the Baltic Sea and the Far East.
On January 10, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Russian oil producers Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, as well as 183 ships transporting Russian oil. The sanctions are aimed at revenues that Moscow used to finance its war with Ukraine.
Some ports started acting before the latest US measures. Shandong Port Group has banned tankers under US sanctions from entering its ports, traders said last week.
Analysts estimate that about 10% of the world's oil tanker fleet is under US sanctions.
Some charterers have already tried to book vessels after the sanctions were announced, indicating a reduction in the supply of vessels.
“Increased demand for exports to India and China from outside Russia will increase non-sanctioned tanker demand,” said Kpler, a trade analytics platform.
The United States expects that due to the latest sanctions against Russia, Moscow will lose billions of dollars a month in oil revenues, which it used to finance the war against Ukraine.
According to Kpler, the latest sanctions have affected tankers, which account for about 42% of Russia's maritime oil exports, mainly to China.
