Russian oil tanker turns back en route to India amid new US sanctions
Photo: Tanker carrying Russian oil turns back en route to India (Getty Images)
The Russian oil tanker Furia, en route to India, abruptly changed course and is now idling in the Baltic Sea. This is a sign that new US sanctions are already affecting Russian oil supplies, according to Bloomberg.
The tanker carrying Russian oil bound for India changed course right in the middle of its route and is now anchored in the Baltic Sea.
Ship-tracking data showed that the Furia was sailing west through the strait between Denmark and Germany when, on Tuesday, it turned around and moved a short distance before abruptly slowing down.
The vessel’s turnaround in the Fehmarn Belt area occurred a week after the United States imposed sanctions on the state-owned company Rosneft and the Russian oil giant Lukoil PJSC.
The US Department of the Treasury stated that transactions involving these two companies must be completed by November 21.
Blacklisting the largest Russian producers threatens to cut Indian refineries off from a relatively cheap source of crude oil.
Senior executives at Indian refining companies told Bloomberg that a sharp reduction in Russian oil flows is now expected.
According to ship-tracking platforms Kpler and Vortexa, on October 20 the Furia loaded nearly 730,000 barrels of Urals crude oil at Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk.
Initially, the vessel listed Sikka — a port in India’s Gujarat state used by the private refinery Reliance Industries Ltd. and state-owned Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. — as its next destination, with an expected arrival date in mid-November.
Later, the company updated its schedule to indicate arrival at Port Said, Egypt, by the middle of next month. Vessels transiting the Suez Canal — the fastest route between Russia’s western ports and India — sometimes list Port Said as their destination before updating it to the final port after passing through the canal.
Sanctions against Russia
US President Donald Trump announced a new package of tough sanctions against the Russian energy sector on October 23. The list of restrictions included oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, along with their subsidiaries.
From now on, any financial transactions involving these companies or their branches are prohibited.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz subsequently said he expected an exemption for Rosneft, whose operations in Germany are under state trusteeship.
The United States later granted an exemption, releasing the German subsidiary of the company from sanctions.
The restrictions immediately impacted the market: Lukoil shares fell by more than 7% in just two days, equivalent to a loss of over $3.6 billion.
According to Bloomberg, Washington’s sanctions could significantly reduce Russian oil exports — particularly to India, which, since the start of the full-scale invasion, has become one of the main buyers of Russian energy resources.
Deliveries to this country could drop almost to zero.
