Oil Crisis? Russia Struggles to Ship Premium Crude Due to Sanctions

The sanctions imposed by the U.S. in January have made it difficult to export Russian premium ESPO crude oil from Sakhalin. According to Bloomberg, out of nine tankers dispatched, only two succeeded in delivering their cargo, while several ships are idling due to restrictions, reports NewsBox.

The American sanctions that came into effect in January 2025 have significantly impacted the export of Russian oil from Sakhalin projects. Bloomberg reports that out of nine tankers sent via the Pacific Ocean, only two managed to deliver the oil, while the remaining ones encountered difficulties.

According to the agency, four of the remaining seven ships have been forced to remain near the port of Nakhodka, one tanker has been drifting since January 17 in waters between Japan and South Korea. One ship reached a Chinese port, and the last one is still en route.

Despite this, oil continues to be loaded onto the sanctioned tankers. However, Russia only has 10 specialized vessels capable of transporting ESPO crude. This may lead to disruptions in supply if the restrictions are not lifted or if the tankers fail to deliver the crude. Bloomberg notes that so far only one cargo has been transferred to another vessel since the sanctions were implemented.