A tanker ship carrying the first cargo of Russian diesel for the United States has come to a halt off the U.S. east coast, shipping data showed Tuesday, with its operator saying its destination had not yet been decided.
U.S. President Donald Trump last month announced a surprise deal with Moscow to import Russian diesel to help lower prices at the pumps ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
The Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes was loaded with 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low sulphur diesel in Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk on Oct. 22, LSEG shipping data showed, with an expected delivery date of Nov. 7.
But Eastmed, the Greece-based company that manages Agioi Fanendes, said the following week that the ship was proceeding awaiting orders and that a port of discharge had not yet been finalized.
“Nothing has changed regarding the vessel’s destination. She is still awaiting orders,” Greece-based vessel manager Eastmed told Reuters on Tuesday.
Ships can change their declared destination or revert to “for orders” status more than once during a voyage when a prospective deal falls through, plans change or the operator does not wish to declare its intended destination.
Other tankers carrying Russian diesel that had originally signalled the U.S. Atlantic Coast as their destination also later altered course, shipping data showed.
Former President Joe Biden had imposed a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil and petroleum products in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Trump, in approving the deal last month, waived parts of a new U.S. sanctions law on Moscow and said Russia would immediately export 300,000 tons, or 2.25 million barrels, to the U.S. and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”
New Jersey’s Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill warned local port officials and terminal operators this month against accepting Russian diesel, saying those shipments would break federal law.
Sherrill said importing Russian diesel could expose businesses and individuals using New Jersey ports to “harsh” civil and criminal penalties.
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