Nearly 500,000 metric tons of Russian oil products are stranded on tankers impacted by the latest U.S. sanctions, according to LSEG data released on Wednesday.
The new sanctions, implemented on January 10, target over 180 vessels and insurance companies, compounding restrictions already imposed by the United Kingdom and European Union.
Among the affected tankers are nine vessels that loaded oil products from Russian Baltic and Black Sea ports in December and January. Four of these tankers—Cup, Aquatica, Turaco, and Onyx—carry a combined 280,000 tons of fuel oil bound for India, Turkey, and Singapore.
Another tanker, Ariadne, loaded with 35,000 tons of naphtha in December, is now drifting near Egypt’s Port Said.
Four other sanctioned vessels are transporting 160,000 tons of ultra-low sulphur diesel and gasoil. One of these, Pravasi, is currently discharging at Brazil’s Port of Santos, while Symphony, Jupiter, and Talisman are en route to Turkey.
Despite a transition period allowing pre-sanctioned cargoes to discharge, traders report that concerns over penalties have slowed activity. Since the sanctions were announced, at least 65 oil tankers have anchored off coasts near China and Russia, ship tracking data shows, underscoring the growing disruptions in the global oil trade.
