Russia has resumed diesel exports to Turkey and Brazil following lifting of US export ban
Tankers carrying Russian diesel fuel are once again heading for the two largest buyers — Turkey and Brazil — after Moscow lifted the ban on exports of this fuel following US mediation.
This has been reported by Reuters, citing data from the shipping companies Kpler and LSEG, according to Censor.NET.
Which tankers have already set sail?
According to data from Kpler and LSEG, at least two tankers have listed Turkey and Brazil as their destinations in recent days. On 14 October, the tanker Dolunay, carrying a cargo of diesel, set sail from the Russian Baltic port of Primorsk, bound for Alanya in Turkey. On 16 October, the tanker Leruo set sail from the same port, with Manaus in Brazil as its destination.
Who buys Russian diesel?
Turkey and Brazil have been the largest buyers of Russian diesel fuel since 2023. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western sanctions forced Moscow to change its traditional export routes for petroleum products.
- According to Kpler, Turkey accounted for around 34 per cent of Russian diesel imports this year — approximately 95,000 barrels per day. Brazil’s share stood at 24 per cent, or around 66,000 barrels per day.
Why did exports decline?
Russia is usually the world’s second-largest exporter of diesel fuel after the US. However, it had already cut back on its exports this summer, before the ban on exports was introduced. Reuters attributes this to large-scale Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries.
