Russia is building a gray tanker fleet to carry its oil

 

"A "gray tanker fleet" with unknown owners is being built around the world. It is supposed to transport oil in the interest of Russia after the EU embargo comes into effect in December. 

 

Christian Ingerslev, CEO of Maersk Tankers, with a fleet of 170 ships, told Bloomberg that "if you look at how many ships have been sold to unknown buyers in the last six months, it becomes clear that a" gray fleet "is being built to carry these loads ".

 

The shipbuilding broker Braemar estimates that in order to sustain the daily transport of 4 million barrels of Russian oil to the Far East, more than 240 tankers were purchased, including 102 Aframaxas, 58 Suezmax and 80 super tankers. Last year, they transported Iranian and Venezuelan oil (also subject to sanctions).

 

Anup Singh, head of tanker research at Braemar, told the agency that there has been a surge in tanker trade. It is run by unknown entities in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Cyprus. Many of the tankers they buy are old vessels that will enter the gray fleet. Some tankers will also be supplied by the sanctioned Russian shipowner - the Sovcomflot.

 

Norwegian mining rig workers usually complained about the difficult working conditions in the fall and winter. Now they are disturbed by Russian drones that appear above the mining platforms.

Bloomberg also predicts a sharp increase in ship-to-ship transshipments. This is due both to the risk of sanctions related to imports directly from Russian ports and the need to reload small cargoes to larger tankers for long-distance voyages.

 

We would like to remind you that the EU embargo on Russian oil will enter into force on December 5, and on oil products on February 5, 2023. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced that the buying of Russian oil will decrease by about 90 percent by the end of this year, considering oil imports from Russia to the countries of the Community. The United States and its allies want to limit the price of Russian oil to $ 40-60 a barrel.

 

According to Bloomberg, after December 5, Asia, especially China and India, will become the main destinations for oil shipments from Russia. "