Plenty of vessels hauling crude from Russia that had been idling off India at the moment are headed away from the nation eastwards, amid considerations over oil funds to Moscow that spurred a stoop in arrivals final month.
5 ships all carrying Sokol oil from Russia’s Far East — the NS Commander, Sakhalin Island, Krymsk, Nellis, and Liteyny Prospect — are transferring towards the Malacca Strait at 7 to 10 knots, in keeping with vessel-tracking knowledge.A sixth additionally holding Sokol — the NS Century — continues to be near Sri Lanka.
“China appears to have stepped in to avoid wasting the idling Sokol cargoes,” stated Viktor Katona, lead crude analyst at knowledge intelligence supplier Kpler.
India’s oil imports from Russia — an important outlet for Moscow amid the struggle in Ukraine — fell in December to their lowest since January 2023, with native refiners not receiving a single Sokol cargo on account of cost points, in keeping with Kpler.
The US and its allies have imposed sanctions on entities deemed to have breached the $60-a-barrel cap on Russian crude exports, which got here into impact late in 2022. Final month, a senior Treasury official stated enforcement can be ramped up.
The NS Century — which hauls about 700,000 barrels — was sanctioned by the US Treasury final 12 months. 4 of the opposite vessels carry comparable volumes, whereas the fifth, the Nellis, can maintain twice as a lot. A lot of the ships are owned by Russia’s state-backed transport firm, Sovcomflot PJSC.
5 ships all carrying Sokol oil from Russia’s Far East — the NS Commander, Sakhalin Island, Krymsk, Nellis, and Liteyny Prospect — are transferring towards the Malacca Strait at 7 to 10 knots, in keeping with vessel-tracking knowledge.A sixth additionally holding Sokol — the NS Century — continues to be near Sri Lanka.
“China appears to have stepped in to avoid wasting the idling Sokol cargoes,” stated Viktor Katona, lead crude analyst at knowledge intelligence supplier Kpler.
India’s oil imports from Russia — an important outlet for Moscow amid the struggle in Ukraine — fell in December to their lowest since January 2023, with native refiners not receiving a single Sokol cargo on account of cost points, in keeping with Kpler.
The US and its allies have imposed sanctions on entities deemed to have breached the $60-a-barrel cap on Russian crude exports, which got here into impact late in 2022. Final month, a senior Treasury official stated enforcement can be ramped up.
The NS Century — which hauls about 700,000 barrels — was sanctioned by the US Treasury final 12 months. 4 of the opposite vessels carry comparable volumes, whereas the fifth, the Nellis, can maintain twice as a lot. A lot of the ships are owned by Russia’s state-backed transport firm, Sovcomflot PJSC.
