Bloomberg, which Radio Svoboda cites, referring to an analysis of port reports and vessel-tracking data, reported that the Agioi Fanendes tanker turned around about 740 kilometers from New York and began moving away from the US East Coast. Since Monday, the vessel has been zigzagging and has noticeably slowed down.
There are 40,000 tons of diesel fuel on board the Agioi Fanendes. The tanker took on this cargo on October 22 at the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that the Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes had stopped off the US East Coast. The vessel operator told the agency that the final destination has not yet been determined.
Bloomberg пишет, что the expected delivery date for the fuel was November 7. A week later, Eastmed, the Greece-based company that operates the vessel, said that the Agioi Fanendes was continuing its voyage while awaiting instructions, and that the unloading port had not been determined or agreed upon.
Reuters notes that during a voyage, ships may change their declared destination port several times or revert to the status of “awaiting instructions” if a deal falls through, plans change, or the operator does not want to disclose the final destination. The agency also reports that other tankers carrying Russian diesel fuel, which initially indicated the US Atlantic coast, later changed course.
Last week, the Financial Times mentioned the tankers Talisman and Leruo. Talisman is under US, UK, and EU sanctions, while Leruo is under UK, EU, and Canadian sanctions. Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev called the FT publication “inaccurate”, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the commercial details of the deal cannot be discussed publicly.
In October, US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Moscow to import diesel fuel from Russia in order to lower gasoline prices in the US ahead of the November midterm congressional elections. The agreement drew criticism from Democrats and some Republicans; New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill warned port operators that accepting such cargoes would violate federal law and could result in “severe measures” for businesses and private individuals.
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