A tanker carrying 40,000 metric tons of Russian diesel is heading for New York under a new U.S.-Russia supply agreement, marking a reopening of a trade curtailed by Washington’s 2022 ban on Russian oil and petroleum imports.
The Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes loaded ultra-low-sulfur diesel at Primorsk, Russia’s Baltic Sea oil port, on Oct. 22 and is expected to arrive in the United States Nov. 7, according to LSEG ship-tracking data cited by Reuters. The buyer and seller were not immediately identified.
The voyage is the first identified U.S.-bound shipment under the agreement President Donald Trump announced Oct. 9. It’s reported to be the first U.S. import since the 2022 ban, although maritime analyst Kpler states that it would be the first Russian diesel delivery since July 2023.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Friday to Reuters that the first tanker under the arrangement had departed and said regular supplies would follow. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has said additional shipments are planned as Russian and U.S. companies finalize delivery contracts.
The agreement combines U.S. sanctions relief with Russia’s decision to lift its own restrictions on diesel exports. Trump announced an initial release of 300,000 metric tons to U.S. and global markets, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons “immediately thereafter.”
The shipment comes as Trump seeks to rein in soaring diesel prices ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Its scheduled arrival, however, falls after Election Day.
At roughly 300,000 barrels, the cargo represents about 7% of the approximately 4 million barrels of diesel consumed by the U.S. economy each day, according to AP. Energy policy experts cited by the news agency said the import agreement was unlikely to substantially reduce fuel prices.
The agreement has drawn criticism from Ukraine, which has urged its partners to tighten restrictions on Russian energy revenue as Putin presses his war against Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the U.S. decision “a weak decision by strong partners,” AP reported.
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