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Oil Shipments News

20 Mar 2024

Reliance Refusing Sovcomflot Oil Shipments

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India's Reliance Industries, operator of the world's biggest refining complex, will not buy Russian oil loaded on tankers operated by shipping company Sovcomflot (SCF) after recent U.S. sanctions, according to two sources familiar with the matter.The development adds to oil export problems for Russia as its oil firms may face difficulties finding ships to sell surplus oil after recent Ukrainian drone attacks on the state's refineries. Russian companies are already struggling to collect payments for oil exports due to banking restrictions.The U.S.

12 Jan 2024

China Media Warns Against Taking China's Indian Ocean Research as Threats

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Chinese state media warned on Friday that a report by a prominent U.S. think tank on the military uses of Chinese scientific research across the Indian Ocean gave "ammunition" to countries bent on concocting threats from China.The report this week by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) "comes at a time when some countries need to manufacture a 'China threat' narrative in the Indian Ocean region and provides them with ammunition", the state-controlled tabloid Global Times said in an editorial."The timing of this report is delicate…

10 Jan 2024

Surging VLCC Rates Impact US Crude Oil Shipments to Asia

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The economic incentive to import oil from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia has closed as the cost of booking supertankers on the route has surged amid a jump in bookings for the vessels, traders said this week.With the arbitrage for U.S. shipments closed, Asian refiners may make up some of the difference with similar Middle Eastern crude oil after top regional producer Saudi Arabia cut their sales prices for February, which is expected to carry over to other regional crudes. The spur…

09 Jan 2024

US Trade Deficit Shrinks on Falling Imports

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The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in November as imports of consumer goods fell to a one-year low amid slowing domestic demand, a trend that, if it persists in December, could result in trade having no impact on economic growth in the fourth quarter.The report from the Commerce Department on Tuesday also showed exports declined in November amid cooling demand overseas. Demand is slowing both in the United States and abroad following hefty interest rate increases by global central banks since 2022 to tackle rampant inflation.The Federal Reserve's rate hiking cycle has likely ended…

07 Jan 2024

War, Weather Put Ocean Shippers on Notice for Rough Seas in 2024

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Recent hostilities in the Red Sea have thrown global shippers of vital goods for a loop - but it is hardly the only issue that big carriers are facing as 2024 kicks off.Giants like Maersk say the industry, which handles 90% of global trade, faces the possibility of significant disruptions, from ongoing wars to droughts affecting key routes like the Panama Canal. Complex vessel schedules are likely to be knocked out of sync for giant container ships, fuel tankers and other commodity haulers throughout the year.That will increase delays and raise costs for retailers like Walmart…

20 Dec 2023

Russia Oil Price Cap Coalition Toughens Shipping Rules

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The U.S.-led coalition imposing a price cap on seaborne Russian oil announced changes on Wednesday to its compliance regime the Treasury Department said will make it harder for Russian exporters to bypass the cap.The Treasury also imposed fresh sanctions on a ship manager owned by the Russian government and three oil traders involved in Russian oil trade.The Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries last year imposed a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil shipments in…

26 Oct 2023

World's Ghost Fleet in Focus Over US Russian Price Cap Crackdown

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U.S. penalties on shippers transporting Russian oil in breach of the G7's price cap could push more Russian cargoes onto vessels referred to as the ghost fleet and away from mainstream tankers, shipping sources and analysts told Reuters.The cap bans Western companies from providing maritime services for Russian seaborne oil exports sold above $60 a barrel.It was designed to keep oil flowing to markets while reducing Russia's energy earnings that it can use to finance its war on Ukraine…

20 Oct 2023

Strait of Hormuz: The World's Most Important Oil Artery

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The Israel-Hamas war has raised the spectre of a wider regional conflict which could embroil Iran and other regional factions.Analysts and market observers say the conflict could prompt the United States to tighten sanctions on Iran, which may spur Tehran to take retaliatory action against ships in the Strait in Hormuz.The Marshall Islands registry, one of the world's top shipping flags, last week flagged that vessels with links to Israel or the United States may face a heightened threat of attack within Israeli territorial waters…

31 Aug 2023

Iran's Oil Output, Exports Rise as Washington, Tehran Talk

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Iran's oil output and exports jumped in August despite U.S. sanctions, according to consultants and companies that track tanker shipments, as Tehran sells to buyers including China.Analysts said the higher exports appear to be the result of Iran's success in evading U.S. sanctions and Washington's discretion in enforcing them as the two countries seek better relations.The United States has sought to limit Iran's oil exports since Donald Trump exited a 2015 nuclear accord in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions aimed at curbing revenues to Iran's government.

04 May 2023

How Will China's Clampdown on Mislabelled Cargoes Affect Sanctioned Oil?

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Chinese customs authorities are stepping up inspection checks on cargoes of heavy crude oil after uncovering several Iranian shipments that were mislabelled as diluted bitumen in an effort to bypass import quotas.The checks, begun a month ago, are delaying oil discharges into the eastern refining hub of Shandong province.They are also adding to uncertainty over the risk of disruption to shipments from Iran and Venezuela, while cutting into refining operations just as fuel demand recovers.

01 May 2023

Venezuelan Oil Gets More US Buyers as Chevron Steps Up Loadings

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Chevron Corp has stepped up sales of Venezuelan crude oil to rival U.S. refiners, adding PBF Energy Inc and Marathon Petroleum Corp to its list of customers for the crude, vessel tracking and loading schedules showed.U.S. Gulf Coast refiners, which historically processed Venezuelan oil, have shown a renewed appetite for the heavy sour crude grade after Chevron late last year received authorization from the U.S. Treasury Department to expand its operations in Venezuela and resume oil shipments to the U.S. after a four-year pause.Chevron, the last big U.S.

28 Apr 2023

US Confiscates Iran Oil Cargo on Tanker Amid Tehran Tensions

The U.S. confiscated Iranian oil on a tanker at sea in recent days in a sanctions enforcement operation, three sources said, and days later Iran seized another oil-laden tanker in retaliation, according to a maritime security firm.As oil markets remain jittery, the cargo seizure is the latest escalation between Washington and Tehran after years of sanctions pressure by the U.S. over Iran's nuclear program. Iran does not recognise the sanctions, and its oil exports have been rising.Tehran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes while Washington suspects Iran wants to develop a nuclear bomb.Maritime security company Ambrey said the U.S. confiscation took place at least five days before Iran's action on Thursday.

06 Feb 2023

Russian Oil Heads East as EU Embargo Takes Hold

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The European Union's full embargo of Russian oil products came into effect on Feb. 5, but data from traders and Refinitiv show that the bulk of Russia's fuel oil and vacuum gasoil (VGO) is already being shipped to other regions, mostly in Asia.In January, less than 5% of Russian fuel oil and VGO was shipped to EU countries, including some 100,000 tonnes to Agioi Theodoroi in Greece, about 80,000 tonnes to the Latvian port of Ventspils and 30,000 tonnes - to the Italian port of Augusta."No need to say…

31 Jan 2023

Western Tankers Ramp Up Russian Oil Shipments

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Western oil tankers ramped up their shipments of Russian crude in January as prices for Moscow's flagship Urals grade held below an international price cap, according to market sources and Eikon data.The Group of Seven nations (G7), Australia and the 27 European Union countries placed a price limit on Russian crude oil of $60 per barrel on Dec. 5.The cap allows non-EU countries to import seaborne Russian crude oil, but prohibits Western shipping and insurance companies from handling…

12 Jan 2023

Russian Oil Revenues Falling Because of Price Cap -US Official

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Russian oil revenues are falling due to the price cap that Western countries imposed on its crude oil shipments and, ahead of further caps on Russia's oil products, Europe is well positioned to manage any price pressures, a U.S. Treasury official said on Wednesday.The Group of Seven countries, Australia and the European Union will extend sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine by putting a price cap on its oil products, such as gasoline and diesel, on Feb. 5. The coalition…

28 Nov 2022

Russia Oil Turmoil Seen Driving Tanker Market Higher

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Tough new sanctions on Russian oil shipments taking effect from December are likely to boost already high tanker rates as buyers race to replace cargoes and are forced to use longer routes, a leading ship manager said.In the latest action against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine that began in February, the European Union will ban Russian crude imports from Dec 5, and Russian oil products from Feb 5.Designed to deprive Moscow of revenues that could finance its action in Ukraine…

11 Nov 2022

Crude Exports Lift Port of Corpus Christi to Q3 Tonnage Record

(Photo: Port of Corpus Christi)

The Port of Corpus Christi reports it set another tonnage record in the third quarter of 2022, driven in large part by record exports of crude oil.The new quarterly tonnage record of 48.3 million tons surpassed the previous tonnage record set in the second quarter of 2022 of 46.4 million tons, a 4% increase on overall tonnage. The growth primarily was a result of strong exports of United States produced crude oil to Western European buyers who have moved away from Russian crude imports. The U.S.

28 Oct 2022

Russia Ramps Up Seaborne Urals Oil Exports to Asia ahead of EU Embargo

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Russia ramped up seaborne Urals oil exports to Asia to 50% of the total over the Oct. 1-20 period ahead of a December EU embargo on the state's oil and products, according to traders and Refinitiv Eikon data.EU countries which have been primary consumers of Russian crude oil for decades will stop buying it from Dec. 5 due to the embargo imposed by the bloc.Bulgaria is the only state allowed to continue seaborne imports beyond the date, while Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic will continue buying via pipeline.Russian Urals oil shipments to Asia rose to 2.08 million tonnes during Oct.

17 Oct 2022

Rosneft Moves Into Tanker Chartering as EU Ban Looms

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Russia's biggest oil exporter Rosneft has expanded its tanker chartering business to ease oil shipments for buyers amid looming Western sanctions on insurance of Russian oil shipments, three sources familiar with the matter said.Previously, state-controlled Rosneft, which produces more than 40% of Russian oil, would sell its oil at the port of loading, meaning the buyer would have to find tankers and handle freight and insurance costs for the voyage.But with new, tighter Western sanctions looming…

26 Aug 2022

Chinese Defense Firm Takes Over Lifting Venezuelan Oil for Debt Offset

China has entrusted a defense-focussed state firm to ship millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil despite U.S. sanctions, part of a deal to offset Caracas' billions of dollars of debt to Beijing, according to three sources and tanker tracking data. China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) stopped carrying Venezuelan oil in August 2019 after Washington tightened sanctions on the South American exporter. But it continued to find its way to China via traders who rebranded the fuel as Malaysian, Reuters has reported.

24 Aug 2022

Sanctions-hit Russia Sending Fuel Oil to Asia, Ship-to-ship Terminals

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Under pressure from Western sanctions, Russia is exporting more fuel oil to Asia and using ship-to-ship transfers to build larger cargoes for distant markets, according to traders and Refinitiv data.The European Union has been reducing imports of Russian oil products since March and has agreed a full ban from February 2023.In August, fuel oil exports from Russia to the Netherlands and Estonia fell to zero from 365,000 tonnes and 170,000 tonnes, respectively, in July, Refinitiv data showed.Meanwhile…

10 Aug 2022

Venezuela Diverts Oil Cargoes as Cuba Terminal Fire Continues

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Venezuela's state oil firm PDVSA diverted two crude cargoes set to discharge at Cuba's Matanzas terminal, Refinitiv Eikon data and company documents showed on Tuesday, as a fire that devastated 40% of the island's main storage facility continued for a fifth day.Lightning on Friday set one crude storage tank at the 2.4-million-barrel facility ablaze, later spreading to three others, resulting in massive power outages.As most of Venezuela's oil shipments to Cuba typically go to…

26 May 2022

Port Corpus Christi Sets New Tonnage and Revenue Records

(Photo: Port Corpus Christi)

The Port of Corpus Christi reports it experienced double-digit volume growth in the first four months of 2022, establishing new records for tonnage and revenues. Through the end of April its customers moved 59.2 million tons of cargo through the Port of Corpus Christi, representing a 10.4% increase over the prior record set in 2020. These new tonnage records were a result of a 56.2% increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports (5.4 million tons), a 17.8% increase in refined product exports (10.6 million tons)…