Articles by Julian Lee

Russian Oil Tanker Does Secret Cargo Switch Near Singapore to Dodge US Sanctions

The first Russian oil tanker attempting to deliver crude while under US sanctions made a secret cargo transfer onto another ship, a sign of the lengths to which Moscow is going to undermine the effectiveness of American restrictions on its …

Nearly All Sanctioned Russian Oil Tankers Remain Idle and Empty Months After Sanctions

Dozens of tankers remain stuck doing nothing months after being sanctioned by the Treasury Department — a signal of the US’s scope to disrupt Moscow’s petroleum supply chain if it chooses to. Since October, 40 ships involved in Russia’s oil …

Russia’s Oil Is Finally Getting Snarled by Sanctions

The Russian oil-export machine funding the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine is finally getting some grit in its gears. Indian oil refiners — Moscow’s second-biggest customers after China since the 2022 invasion — will no longer accept tankers owned by state-run …

Update: Tankers Tied to the Russian Oil Trade Grind to Halt Following US Sanctions

A chunk of the vast fleet of tankers that Russia uses to deliver its crude oil is grinding to a halt under the weight of US sanctions, a sign that tougher measures by western regulators might be starting to have …

Russia Oil Tankers Are Doing Strange Things Since Ramp Up of US Sanctions

There are growing signs that Russia’s oil flows might be facing disruption in the aftermath of a ramp up in US sanctions targeting traders and shipping companies moving the nation’s petroleum. Over the past month or so, a total of …

Ukraine’s Drone Attack Hasn’t Yet Jolted Insurance Costs for Black Sea Oil Carriers

A drone attack on a Russian oil tanker and a warning from Kyiv that more could follow has so far had little impact on insurance costs for oil and commodity carriers in the key Black Sea region, as rates were …

Russia-Linked Oil Tanker Fleet Vanishes Even Faster Than It Grew

A fleet of tankers that sprouted up out of nowhere to keep Russia’s oil moving has disbanded even faster than it emerged, underscoring the challenges involved in keeping track of who’s helping Moscow to get its petroleum to buyers around …

Tanker Company Shipping Russian Oil Loses Insurance on G-7 Price Cap

An oil tanker company heavily involved in moving Russian oil lost industry standard insurance for its fleet after falling foul of a Group of Seven price cap relating to the transportation of the nation’s barrels. Gatik Ship Management lost so-called …

EU’s Russia Oil Sanctions, Effective in December, Are Already Hitting Nation’s Trade

European Union sanctions on Russian oil might still be eight weeks away, but they’re hitting trade in the nation’s crude already. The bloc’s measures, including a ban on insuring tanker shipments, enter into force on Dec. 5. A Russian cargo …

Russia Finds New Route to Get Oil to Market Via Tiny Egyptian Port

Russia appears to have found a new means of getting its oil to market with western sanctions looming for Moscow. A cargo of about 700,000 barrels of Russian oil was delivered to Egypt’s El Hamra oil terminal on its Mediterranean …