A Malta-flagged tanker carrying 40,000 metric tons of Russian diesel is heading to New York under a new agreement between Moscow and Washington aimed at increasing fuel supplies.
The Agioi Fanendes loaded about 300,000 barrels of ultra-low-sulfur diesel at Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22 and is expected to arrive in New York on November 7, according to LSEG ship-tracking data cited by Reuters.
The cargo is the first Russian diesel shipment bound for the United States since 2022. Its volume is equivalent to about 7% of daily U.S. diesel consumption. The buyer and seller have not been identified.
The Kremlin confirmed that the first tanker had departed and said regular supplies would continue, although it did not specify the vessel’s destination. President Donald Trump announced on October 9 that Russia would initially release 300,000 metric tons of diesel to U.S. and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November and another 1 million tons afterward.
Washington temporarily eased parts of its new sanctions framework against Russia to allow the trade, while Moscow lifted its own diesel export restrictions. The decision has drawn criticism in the United States and Ukraine from officials who say the sales could provide additional revenue for Russia while its war against Ukraine continues.
Energy specialists cited by The Associated Press said a single cargo is unlikely to have a significant effect on U.S. diesel prices because it is too small relative to the size of the market.
The tanker is scheduled to arrive four days after the November 3 U.S. midterm elections, limiting the shipment’s potential effect on pump prices before voters cast their ballots.
Source: Vesti Baku, Reuters and The Associated Press.