The key facts
- The tankers Talisman and Leruo abandoned their routes to the US; Leruo is heading to Brazil
- The tanker Agioi Fanendes continues toward New York, with expected arrival on November 7
- The deliveries became possible after the agreements between Putin and Trump of October 9
Two of three tankers changed course
Two of the three tankers carrying Russian diesel fuel bound for the United States have changed course and are heading to other regions, reports the Financial Times (summarized by Life.ru). The tanker Talisman passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and is off the coast of Algeria: the vessel no longer lists the American coast as its destination and is signaling that it is awaiting further instructions. The second vessel, Leruo, has changed its declared destination to Brazil.
The third tanker continues on its way, but without a confirmed port
The tanker Agioi Fanendes is still moving toward the United States and is expected to arrive in New York on November 7, but no specific discharge port has been confirmed, and the vessel is also awaiting instructions. Another tanker, Beast, which loaded at Russia's Primorsk on October 27, is showing an Atlantic-bound heading. Kpler analyst Matt Smith suggested that the reason for the route changes was the caution of American buyers, who fear legal problems and sanctions restrictions; in his assessment, Agioi Fanendes may also end up skipping the call at an American port.
Context: the agreements and resistance in the US
The deliveries became possible after agreements reached by Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump on October 9: Washington temporarily allowed operations with Russian diesel, hoping to curb rising fuel prices. Under the announced plans, Russia was supposed to supply more than 300,000 tons of fuel to the American and global markets, and another 500,000 tons in November. The implementation of the agreement, however, met resistance from American politicians: according to Life.ru, Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal demanded that shipping companies turn the tankers carrying Russian diesel around, warned the carriers of possible legal consequences, and demanded disclosure of information about the buyers, sellers, and insurers involved in the deliveries.
