The USA Strikes First at Unfinished Russian Tankers: Which Vessels Are Under Sanctions.

For the first Time, the USA has included unfinished Russian oil tankers in the sanctions list. Six such vessels currently under construction at the 'Zvezda' shipyard have been subjected to restrictions as part of a new package of sanctions implemented last week.

According to Reuters, among the 183 vessels that fell under sanctions are tankers such as 'Nursultan Nazarbayev', 'Alexander Beggrov', 'Alexey Bogolyubov', and three yet unnamed vessels: 'Zvezda 131080', 'Zvezda 131060', and 'Zvezda 131040'.

According to the sanctions text, 'Sovcomflot' is the buyer of 'Alexander Beggrov' and 'Alexey Bogolyubov', while the other four vessels are intended for 'Rosneftflot', the transport division of 'Rosneft'. These two buying companies are also under American sanctions.

The new restrictions target the so-called 'shadow fleet' that Russia uses to circumvent the price cap imposed by the G7 countries at the end of 2022. This mechanism prohibits Western companies from providing insurance and transport services for Russian oil priced above $60 per barrel.

Immediately after the sanctions were implemented, the cost of tanker transportation suddenly rose worldwide. According to Reuters, over the past two months, more than 60% of the oil tankers listed have entered Russian ports.

Impact on Russian Companies and Energy Exports

The large package of sanctions by the USA, imposed on January 10, covers over 400 organizations and individuals in Russia's energy sector, including 'Gazpromneft', 'Surgutneftegas', and 184 tankers of Russia's shadow fleet.

It is known that after the announcement of sanctions, at least 65 oil tankers have stopped near China, Russia, and other locations, while India and China refuse to accept Russian oil tankers that have come under restrictions.

Impact on Energy Exports

According to estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA), sanctions may severely complicate energy exports from Russia. Restrictions on tankers that carry over one-fifth of Russia's maritime oil flows have already been witnessed.

Additional sanctions against Russian tankers could lead to further increases in the cost of tanker transportation.

Energy Sanctions and Poland

Poland plans to cut its purchases of Russian liquefied gas by 80% in 2023 due to the implementation of restrictive measures against Russia while simultaneously increasing imports from the USA and Britain.