Russian Oil Tanker Fleet Severely Hobbled by Last Month’s US Sanctions

(Bloomberg) —

The latest US sanctions on Russia’s oil trade have brought a swath of tankers that deliver Moscow’s crude to a halt — reinforcing the significance of the measures in any negotiations over ending the war in Ukraine.

About 60% — 94 out 154 — of the active tankers blacklisted by the outgoing Biden administration last month for their involvement in the Russian oil trade have stopped hauling barrels for Moscow or anyone else, ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show. Another seven were under construction or undergoing sea trials.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said he’d spoken to Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine. The discussions touched on energy but, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, not sanctions. 

However, the Jan. 10 measures are forcing Russia to rewire its oil supply chain to find alternative ships — and pay high freight costs for them. It’s also delivering cargoes in unusual ways. At stake is the country’s capacity to…