MANILA, Philippines — Diesel supplies in the United States could get a boost after a tanker carrying Russian fuel departed for the country, following a reported agreement between Washington and Moscow aimed at easing rising prices.
US President Donald Trump announced the arrangement as part of efforts to reduce diesel costs ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The development comes as Trump partially waived provisions of a new US sanctions law targeting Russia. He also threatened to prohibit diesel exports to the European Union unless member states released additional fuel from their emergency reserves to help stabilize prices.
Shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) showed that the Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes loaded 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low-sulfur diesel at Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk on Thursday, October 22.
The vessel is expected to reach New York on November 7.
The identities of the buyer and seller have not been disclosed.
The shipment would mark the first Russian petroleum products imported by the United States since former President Joe Biden imposed a ban on Russian oil and petroleum product imports in 2022 following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
On October 9, Trump said Russia would immediately supply 300,000 metric tons of crude oil, equivalent to about 2.25 million barrels, for the US and international markets. He added that another 500,000 metric tons would follow in November, with an additional 1 million metric tons to be delivered afterward.
Whether the incoming cargo will significantly ease US diesel prices remains uncertain, as its impact will depend on market conditions and the availability of additional supplies.
ia/xf
