Russian diesel tanker bound for New York after US-Russia deal

A Malta-flagged tanker carrying 40,000 metric tons of Russian diesel is en route to New York following a deal between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to LSEG shipping data released Friday. The medium-sized tanker Agioi Fanendes loaded ultra-low sulfur diesel at the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22 and is expected to arrive in the US on November 7. Trump has taken steps to lower domestic fuel prices ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, including waiving parts of a Russian sanctions law and threatening Europe with a diesel export ban. Russia agreed to end its self-imposed moratorium on diesel exports after discussions between Putin and Trump, with Trump announcing on October 9 that Russia would export 300,000 metric tons immediately, followed by 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons thereafter. Since the EU embargo in February 2023, Russia had primarily exported diesel to Brazil, Turkey, and African nations.