Russian Tanker With 100,000 Tonnes of Oil Banned From Entering Indian Port

An old tanker loaded with Russian oil was stopped from berthing in an Indian Port and is transferring its cargo at sea, per reports and ship tracking data.

The twenty-year-old tanker Andaman Skies was banned last week from entering the Vadinar Port, citing concerns regarding its seaworthiness.

Hence the tanker is now transferring its 100,000 metric tonnes of oil cargo which is sold by Lukoil to 2 other vessels, the Ozanno and Sao Tome.

This is not the first time that a Russian tanker has been prevented from docking in India. Several tankers with links to Moscow have been unable to berth in Indian ports in the past few months, due to tightening sanctions as well.

After the U.S. and the West imposed sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been trying to find new markets for its energy products. India has become a major buyer of Russian oil, second only to China.

The U.S has imposed stringent sanctions against Russian Oil since last October, and sanctioned about 40 oil tankers.

The biggest Russian Shipping Company, Sovcomflot, was sanctioned in February for violating the $60 per barrel price cap.

By 2023 end, the G7 nations decided to level up the enforcement of the price cap which was first implemented in 2022, after there were reports of Moscow shipping out its crude oil above the price cap by utilising a ghost fleet of uninsured and old tanker vessels.

References: Kyivindependent, Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News