A Greek vessel is carrying the first cargo of Russian diesel bound for the US under a new export deal between Washington and Moscow, which has drawn criticism from Ukraine and the European Union.
According to LSEG data cited by Reuters, the Agioi Fanendes, a 2019-built tanker with a capacity of 50,000 dwt, is owned by Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, a company led by Greek shipowner Thanassis Martinos. The Malta-flagged vessel sailed from Primorsk, a Russian port on the Baltic, on Friday, with New York listed as its destination.
The tanker loaded about 40,000 tonnes of ultra-low-sulphur diesel (ULSD) on Thursday and is expected to arrive in the US on 7 November. Eastern Mediterranean Maritime told TradeWinds that the charterer’s instructions on the port of discharge have yet to be confirmed.
Russian diesel exports to the US
The shipment is part of a deal announced by US President Donald Trump to resume and ramp up Russian diesel exports to the US. Trump has said the deal initially envisages 300,000 tonnes, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and a further 1 million tonnes immediately afterwards.
On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia was preparing tankers for the first shipments to the US. The Russian news agency RIA quoted Novak as saying that further shipments would follow to meet US needs to the extent that Russia’s capacity allowed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting in St Petersburg with US special envoy Steve Witkoff that several tanker deliveries were being prepared and would be made in succession.
Russia lifted its own ban on diesel exports on 9 October. The ban had been imposed to protect domestic supply after Ukrainian attacks on refineries.
Reaction from Ukraine and the European Union
The deal has drawn criticism from Ukraine and the European Union, which believe that revenue from Russian fuel exports to the US could help finance Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kpler data show that Russian diesel exports are beginning to recover gradually. According to the company’s data, three vessels loaded fuel at Primorsk in the past week, with two reportedly heading for Turkey and Brazil.
The voyage of the Agioi Fanendes is therefore the first recorded shipment of Russian diesel to the US under the new deal, with attention now turning to the execution of subsequent loadings and the volumes that will reach the US market.