Russian diesel heads to US aboard tanker under EU sanctions

Three tankers carrying around 140,000 tonnes of Russian diesel are heading to the US under a deal between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. One of the vessels is under sanctions imposed by the EU, the UK and Canada.

Source: Financial Times

Details: One of the tankers is the Sierra Leone-flagged Leruo, which is owned by a Hong Kong-based company. According to MarineTraffic, it is scheduled to arrive on the US Atlantic coast on 11 November. European sanctions were imposed on the vessel for transporting Russian cargo and engaging in risky practices, including switching off its location-tracking system.

The first tanker, Agioi Fanendes, carrying 40,000 tonnes of diesel, is due to arrive in New York on 7 November, four days after the US midterm elections. Another tanker, Talisman, is expected to reach the US East Coast on 9 November. However, the vessels may change their declared destinations.

These are the first shipments authorised by US authorities under the Trump-Putin diesel deal. The US president hopes that Russian fuel imports will help bring prices down ahead of the elections.

Background: US lawmakers have called on banks and ports to preserve records of transactions involving Russian diesel, warning of possible investigations and legal consequences for violations. The US Treasury Department considers the arrangement lawful.

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