- Maltese-flagged tanker Agioi Fenandes carrying nearly 300,000 barrels of Russian diesel has idled off the US coast for over 48 hours.
- The ship left Primorsk on Oct 23 bound for New York after President Trump struck a deal to ease Russian diesel sanctions.
- Vessel has been zigzagging at low speeds about 80 km from the US exclusive economic zone while owner says no new port instructions.
A tanker carrying Russian diesel that was originally bound for New York has been idling off the US coast for more than 48 hours, an AFP analysis of maritime tracking data showed on Thursday.
The “Agioi Fenandes”, a Maltese-flagged vessel owned by a Greek operator, left the Russian port of Primorsk, near Saint Petersburg, on October 23.
It is carrying nearly 300,000 barrels of diesel that were destined for New York after US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Russia last month, angering Ukraine and raising questions about US support for Kyiv in the conflict with Moscow.
But the vessel has been performing holding manoeuvres and zigzagging at very low speeds in international waters in the North Atlantic, approximately 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the US exclusive economic zone, since late Monday.
This is according to an AFP analysis of maritime tracking data from the firm Kpler, based on the ship’s AIS transponder signal.
The tanker has not received any instructions regarding its port of destination, its Greek owner, Eastmed (East Mediterranean Maritime Limited), told AFP on Wednesday, without providing further details.
As of Tuesday, the fully loaded vessel no longer showed any scheduled deliveries on the Kpler tracking platform.
Previously, the platform indicated that it was due to unload in New York and make deliveries within North America. As of Thursday, AFP was unable to cross-reference the vessel’s AIS position with satellite imagery.
On October 9, Donald Trump reached an agreement with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, aimed at easing sanctions against Moscow in exchange for bringing Russian diesel to the global market.
This measure had been taken in an effort to lower fuel prices for US consumers ahead of the November 3 midterm legislative elections, in which the Republican camp suffered significant losses.
Two other vessels subject to Western sanctions and carrying Russian diesel from Primorsk to the United States in recent weeks changed their routes while in transit.
As of Thursday, the “Leruo” was heading towards Brazil, while the “Talisman” was sailing through Egyptian waters in the Mediterranean.
