Dozens of tankers tied to Russia’s oil trade have been idled for months after U.S. Treasury sanctions, a signal that supply risks could intensify if disruptions widen. Bloomberg reports that the pause among vessels helps map how the sanctions are reshaping flows in the global oil market. — Bloomberg
Since October, about 40 ships have been added to sanctions lists for violating Russia’s oil price ceiling. Of those, only one vessel, SKF Primorye, could be loaded under the sanctions regime, and it appears to be headed toward Asia. If unloading proceeds without hiccups, Russia may bring the remaining ships back into service. — Bloomberg
Critics say the sanctions may be unnecessary given Russia’s persistent export volumes. Still, the fleet’s downtime underscores the impact of targeted measures on individual ships and their operations. Seventy percent of the sanctioned fleet belongs to Sovcomflot, with the remaining vessels owned by UAE-based Hennesea. — Bloomberg
In April, a Turkish tanker that had been permitted to load in the United States was removed from the sanctions list. The other tankers remain dormant globally, according to the agency’s tracking data. — Bloomberg
Eight Sovcomflot tankers are stationed near Vladivostok and Nakhodka, with some idled for five months. The seventh vessel gathered in the Black Sea and arrived between December and February, then disabled its transponder. The other three ships lie in the Baltic. — Bloomberg
Eighteen Hennesea tankers have been idle since January: ten off the coasts of China and Korea, with several undergoing repairs. The rest are stationed outside Port Said, some since March. These ships drew attention after signals were spoofed by tracking systems. — Bloomberg
Earlier, the Ministry of Finance rejected a move to reset the freeze on oil-company controls. — Bloomberg