A Russian tanker sanctioned by Washington is still floating about 1,600 miles from the Indian port where it was supposed to unload as New Delhi wrestles with the dilemma of whether to let the ship dock.
The longer it drifts – and the ship has now been stuck in its current location for around 10 days – the more it underlines the challenge India faces as it seeks to import cheap Russian oil while avoiding the risk of damaging ties. with the United States.
Any sign that the United States may interfere with Russia’s ability to supply its own oil would concern the Kremlin, which has amassed a large fleet of ships to work around the Group of Seven sanctions after the war in Ukraine.
The NS Century, a Liberia-flagged Aframax owned by Sovcomflot, began its voyage from Yeosu in South Korea in late October, according to ship tracking data. Cargoes from Sokol, which loads from the eastern Russian port of De-Kastri, often underwent ship-to-ship transfers from Yeosu.
Before it stopped, the ship headed for the Indian port of Vadinar, where state-owned refiner Indian Oil Corp. has a shipyard and Nayara Energy, which counts Rosneft as its single largest shareholder, has a refinery.
A spokesperson for Nayara Energy said the cargo does not belong to the refiner. Indian Oil did not immediately comment on the cargo or the delivery. India’s Directorate General of Shipping said last week it was awaiting instructions from the government on whether the ship would be allowed to unload its cargo.
The United States recently sanctioned five ships for using Western services to transport oil that cost more than $60 a barrel, a price limit imposed by the Group of Seven nations. The ships include NS Century.
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Updated: 28 Nov 2023, 16:44 IST
(tagsTranslate)Russian oil tanker