The waters off Oman are rising as a scorching spot for ship-to-ship transfers of Russian oil heading to India, because the US steps up scrutiny of the flows.
New Discovery is the most recent tanker to switch its load of Russian crude to a different vessel close to the Omani port of Sohar this week. The ship had been signaling Sikka in western India as its vacation spot from early March, earlier than idling off the nation’s west coast for greater than every week after which touring again to Oman to make the switch, in response to Bloomberg ship-tracking.
The Caroline Bezengi, which acquired about 1 million barrels of Urals crude from the New Discovery, isn’t at the moment signaling a vacation spot, Kpler information present.
Suezmax New Discovery carrying Russia’s Urals crude heads to Sohar, Oman, after idling of the west coast of India.
Transferring oil from one vessel to a different is usually finished to masks the origin of the cargoes, and typically to separate up the cargo to fulfill draft restrictions at sure ports. Oman and Fujairah within the United Arab Emirates are frequent places for transfers within the Center East, whereas in Asia they’re usually finished within the waters off Malaysia.
Oman now appears to be gaining in recognition as a location for the reloading of Russian barrels. Previous to the New Discovery, three different tankers have handed their cargoes of Urals crude to different vessels within the nation’s waters since early February. The ships that acquired the oil then discharged their cargoes at Indian ports.
India has been a significant purchaser of discounted Russian oil for the reason that invasion of Ukraine, however tighter enforcement of US sanctions is now disrupting the commerce. All the nation’s refiners are refusing to take oil carried on PJSC Sovcomflot tankers.
Sohar is “arguably one of many largest STS locations in all the Center East and Asia” and there’s no crude imported there, mentioned Viktor Katona, lead crude analyst at information intelligence agency Kpler. “I wouldn’t be stunned if India’s resolution is to have the Russians ship the barrels to Sohar or the UAE territorial waters after which trans-ship it onto tankers which are already OK for them compliance-wise.”