In January 2023, Russia made up for the reduction in its Black Sea crude oil exports to the EU by increasing exports to non-EU countries: Monitoring

The Monitoring Group of BlackSeaNews
and the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies

The Monitoring Group of the Black Sea Institute of Strategic Studies and BlackSeaNews reports on the results of its own monitoring of seaborne exports of Russia’s crude oil to non-EU countries in January 2023.

Summary

In December 2022 and January 2023, the volume of Russia’s Black Sea crude oil exports to non-EU countries grew by 0.4 million tons each month, or by an average of 25% month on month. In January 2023, we recorded the highest export volume since April 2022 – 2,394,306 tons.

It can be concluded that as of January 2023, Russia managed to make up for the reduction in its Black Sea crude oil exports to "EU+" countries by increasing its exports to non-EU countries.

Thus, the total volume of Russia’s Black Sea exports of crude oil, which began to plummet in June 2022 after the EU decision on the future embargo, has been rapidly recovering since November 2022. Note that this situation would be fundamentally different but for the exports to EU countries in violation of the embargo, which reached about 1.2 million tons.

In January 2023, 22 tankers, 10 of which belong to shipowners from Greece, transported Russian crude oil to 9 non-EU countries.

The full text of the report

Important notes:

a) The Russian Federation exports crude oil and petroleum products (fuel oil, gas oil, and solar oil) from the ports on the Black and Azov Seas. They are exported by different types of vessels – crude oil tankers and oil/chemical tankers (or oil products tankers) respectively. Crude oil tankers are usually very large: in the Black Sea, one such tanker takes from 100 to 150 thousand tons of crude oil. Oil products tankers have a significantly lower freight-carrying capacity: the commonest are in the ranges of 3-5 and 25-30 thousand tons. The monthly ratio between the volume of exports of Russia’s crude oil and petroleum products is approximately 3:1.

b) Two separate streams of crude oil are exported from Black Sea ports: crude oil of the Russian Federation (from the ports of Novorossiysk, Taman, and Tuapse, from the transshipment points in the Kerch Strait and to the south of it) and crude oil of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) - from a separate terminal of the port of Novorossiysk. The CPC’s crude oil contains 80% of Kazakh oil and 20% of oil produced in Kazakhstan by the Russian company Lukoil. Kazakh oil is not under sanctions, although it is transported through the territory of the Russian Federation.

c) In tables and figures presenting the volume of crude oil and petroleum products exports, the term DWT (deadweight) is used - a measure of how much weight a ship can carry. It is the sum of the weights of cargo, fuel, lubricants, technical and drinking water, passengers, luggage, crew, and provisions. When analysing the transportation of large volumes of oil and petroleum products, other types of cargoes carried by a ship do not significantly influence the results, since even on tankers with a deadweight of 100-150 thousand tons, the sum of the weights of fuel, water, provisions, and a small crew is in the hundreds of tons and does not affect the results of the analysis.

d) This analytical report does not take into account the export volume of crude oil and petroleum products from the Russian Federation to the Black Sea ports and transshipment points of Romania and Bulgaria.

Reference: In July 2022, these exports were estimated to be around 3.1 million tons (1.9 million tons to Romania and 1.2 million tons to Bulgaria). Of these volumes, Russia’s crude oil accounted for about 2.4 million tons (1.4 million tons to Romania and 1.0 million tons to Bulgaria).

e) In tables and figures, for convenience, the term "EU+" is used, which covers not only EU member states but also the USA, the UK, and Monaco. The appropriateness of such grouping is justified by the fact that the exports of oil and petroleum products of the Russian Federation to these countries are very insignificant.

f) In the database of oil tankers at the end of the article, “Crude oil tanker CPC” means that this tanker carries oil from the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s terminal. Tankers carrying crude oil of the Russian Federation are marked as "Crude oil tankers."

* * *

Table 1. Exports of Russia’s crude oil from Black Sea ports to non-EU countries in April 2022-January 2023

Starting from December 2022, and in particular since 5 December 2022, when the EU embargo and the price cap came into effect, there has been a significant increase in the exports of Russia’s seaborne crude oil from the Black Sea to countries other than "EU+" states (non-EU countries).

The volume of Russia’s Black Sea crude oil exports to non-EU countries in December 2022 and January 2023 grew by 0.4 million tons each month, or by an average of 25% month on month.

In January 2023, we recorded the highest export volume since April 2022 – 2,394,306 tons (See Table 1, Figure 1).

Moreover,

if we compare the trends in Russia’s Black Sea exports of crude oil to "EU+" states and other countries during the period of our monitoring, we can conclude that as of January 2023, Russia managed to make up for the reduction in its Black Sea crude oil exports to "EU+" countries by increasing its exports to non-EU states (See Figure 2). 

Thus, the total volume of Russia’s Black Sea exports of crude oil, which began to plummet in June 2022 after the EU decision on the future embargo, has been rapidly recovering since November 2022 (See Figure 3).

Note that this situation would be fundamentally different but for the exports to EU countries in violation of the embargo, which reached about 1.2 million tons.

In January 2023, 22 tankers transported Russian crude oil to 9 non-EU countries, which are presented below, in descending order.

  1. India [IN] – 751,556 tons (an increase by 17,968 tons, or 2.4%, compared to December), 5 tankers.

  2. Turkey [TR] – 465,983 tons (a month-on-month increase by 199,426 tons, or 74.8%), 5 tankers.

  3. Singapore [SG] – 300,392 tons (a month-on-month increase by 80,016 tons, or 36.3%), 3 tankers.

  4. China [CN] – 261,719 tons (a month-on-month increase by 111,724 tons, or 74.5%), 2 tankers.

  5. Tunisia [TN] – 228,587 tons (a month-on-month increase by 155,156 tons, or 211.3%), 2 tankers.

  6. The UAE [AE] – 155,978 tons (a month-on-month increase by 42,129 tons, or 37.0%), 2 tankers.

  7. Brazil [BR] – 105,484 tons (the same volume as in December), 1 tanker.

  8. Oman [OM] – 74,269 tons (there were no imports in December), 1 tanker.

  9. Senegal [SN] – 50,338 tons (from April to December, there were no imports), 1 tanker.

The breakdown of the 22 oil tankers that transported Russia’s crude oil to non-EU countries in January 2023 by country of shipowner registration is as follows (See Table 2 for details).

  • 10 tankers – Greece.

  • 3 tankers – Russia (the subsidiaries of the Russian Sovcomflot, registered in Dubai, the UAE).

  • 3 tankers – Turkey.

  • 2 tankers – India.

  • 2 tankers – Liberia.

  • 1 tanker – Vietnam.

  • 1 tanker – Libya.

The information on shipowner companies and operating companies is provided by www.equasis.org

Theoretically, the exports of Russian crude oil by tankers of an EU country (Greece) should be carried out in compliance with the price cap established by the EU and G7 decisions. This is the sphere of the Greek government control.

Table 2. Tankers that transported Russia’s crude oil from Russian ports on the Black Sea to non-EU countries in January 2023

#

Name

IMO

DWT

Flag

Port of departure

Actual time of departure

Port of destination

Estimated time of arrival

Shipowner

India [IN]

1

MELOGY

Crude Oil Tanker

9247376

159924

Vietnam

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2022-12-28 15:49 LT

IN COK

KOCHI

ETA: 2023-01-24 21:30 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager THANG LONG GAS CO LTD Luu Xa Gas Industrial Cluster, Quat Dong Ward, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi City, Vietnam. Registered owner THANG LONG GAS CO LTD Luu Xa Gas Industrial Cluster, Quat Dong Ward, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi City, Vietnam.

2

ALEKSEY KOSYGIN

Crude Oil Tanker

9316127

163545

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-04 07:24 LT

IN PRT

PARADIP

ETA: 2023-02-01 12:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager SUN SHIP MANAGEMENT Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Registered owner ANGELIC SEAS CORP Care of SUN Ship Management (D) Ltd, Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

3

NISSOS DELOS

Crude Oil Tanker

9592305

115691

Marshall Is

RU TUA

TUAPSE

ATD: 2023-01-03 16:30 LT

IN SIK

SIKKA

ETA: 2023-01-27 16:00 LT

Registered owner MIF I NO 4 K/S Care of Kyklades Maritime Corp (Kyklades Naftiki Eteria), 2, Ethnarchou Makariou Street & Dimitrios Falireos Street, 185 47 Piraeus, Greece.

Ship manager/Commercial manager KYKLADES MARITIME CORP 2, Ethnarchou Makariou Street & Dimitrios Falireos Street, 185 47 Piraeus, Greece.

4

OTTOMAN TENACITY

Crude Oil Tanker

9590682

149999

Turkey

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-11 01:57 LT

IN COK

KOCHI

ETA: 2023-02-07 16:30 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager GUNGEN DENIZCILIK VE TICARET Halici Sokak 9, Gaziosmanpasa Mah, Cankaya, 06700 Ankara, Turkey.

Registered owner GUNGEN DENIZCILIK VE TICARET Halici Sokak 9, Gaziosmanpasa Mah, Cankaya, 06700 Ankara, Turkey.

5

VLADIMIR TIKHONOV

Crude Oil Tanker

9311622

162397

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-14 08:10 LT

IN MUN

MUNDRA

ETA: 2023-02-10 03:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager SUN SHIP MANAGEMENT Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Registered owner BASSETT OCEANWAY LTD Care of SUN Ship Management (D) Ltd, Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Turkey [TR]

1

ADAFERA

Crude Oil Tanker

9258478

105215

Libya

RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH

ATD: 2023-01-08 04:04 LT

TR MAR

MARMARA EREGLISI

ATA: 2023-01-14 21:07 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager GENERAL NATIONAL MARITIME Mahlet Alwahda Alarabia, PO Box 80173, Gergarish Road, Abu Nawas, Tripoli, Libya.

Registered owner LIBYAN MARITIME CARRIER LTD Care of General National Maritime Transport Co (GNMTC), Mahlet Alwahda Alarabia, PO Box 80173, Gergarish Road, Abu Nawas, Tripoli, Libya.

2

ATACAMA

Crude Oil Tanker

9248801

40039

St. Kitts and Nevis

RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH

ATD: 2023-01-12 18:00 LT

TR KORFEZ ANCH

ATA: 2023-01-15 12:09 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager GATIK SHIP MANAGEMENT M/S E-306, 3rd Floor, Eastern Business District, Neptune Magnet Mall, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Bhandup (W), Mumbai, 400078, India. Registered owner MARINE COMPASS INC Care of m/s Gatik Ship Management, E-306, 3rd Floor, Eastern Business District, Neptune Magnet Mall, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Bhandup (W), Mumbai, 400078, India.

3

DELTA BLUE

Crude Oil Tanker

9601235

158322

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-15 02:15 LT

TR KFZ

KORFEZ

ATA: 2023-01-20 08:17 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager DELTA TANKERS LTD 58B, Zefyrou Street, Palaio Faliro, 175 64 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner NERIDA MARITIME INC Care of Delta Tankers Ltd, 58B, Zefyrou Street, Palaio Faliro, 175 64 Athens, Greece.

4

NISSOS SERIFOS

Crude Oil Tanker

9592264

115688

Marshall Is

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-20 18:43 LT

TR KFZ

KORFEZ

ATA: 2023-01-26 14:15 LT

Registered owner MIF I NO 7 K/S Care of Kyklades Maritime Corp (Kyklades Naftiki Eteria), 2, Ethnarchou Makariou Street & Dimitrios Falireos Street, 185 47 Piraeus, Greece.

Ship manager/Commercial manager KYKLADES MARITIME CORP 2, Ethnarchou Makariou Street & Dimitrios Falireos Street, 185 47 Piraeus, Greece.

5

TAXIARHIS

Crude Oil Tanker

9276016

46719

Liberia

RU TUA TUAPSE

ATD: 2023-01-26 11:00 LT

TR KORFEZ ANCH

ATA: 2023-01-30 02:38 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager FLYNN VENTURES LTD 24, Kanari Street, 106 75 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner CIRCINUS CORP Care of Flynn Ventures Ltd, 24, Kanari Street, 106 75 Athens, Greece.

Singapore [SG]

1

AGIOS GERASIMOS

Crude Oil Tanker

9693056

109999

Malta

RU TAM

TAMAN

ATD: 2022-12-16 19:39 LT

OPL GR KLX

changed the port of destination to

SG SIN
SINGAPORE

 

 

 

ETA: 2023-01-22 16:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN MTME-LIE 69, Grigoriou Lampraki Street, Glyfada, 166 75 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner YPSOUS SHIPPING LTD Care of Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd (EASTMED), 69, Grigoriou Lampraki Street, Glyfada, 166 75 Athens, Greece.

2

PACIFIC SKY

Crude Oil Tanker

9408554

115395

Malta

RU TAM

TAMAN

ATD: 2022-12-29 09:59 LT

SG SIN

SINGAPORE

ETA: 2023-02-04 18:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager ACTIVE DENIZCILIK VE GEMI 2 Caddesi 5, Dudullu OSB Mah, Umraniye, 34776 Istanbul, Turkey. 

Registered owner GLORY PACIFIC SKY NAVIGATION Care of Active Denizcilik ve Gemi Isletmeciligi AS, 2 Caddesi 5, Dudullu OSB Mah, Umraniye, 34776 Istanbul, Turkey.

3

SOVEREIGN

Crude Oil Tanker

9390939

74998

Liberia

RU TUA

TUAPSE

ATD: 2023-01-13 06:54 LT

SG SIN

SINGAPORE

 

Registered owner XIANG T96 HK INTERNATIONAL Care of Dynacom Tankers Management Ltd (DTM), 94, Poseidonos Avenue & 2, Nikis Street, Glyfada, 166 75 Athens, Greece.

Ship manager/Commercial manager DYNACOM TANKERS MANAGEMENT LTD 94, Poseidonos Avenue & 2, Nikis Street, Glyfada, 166 75 Athens, Greece

Tunisia [TN]

1

HS EVERETT

Crude Oil Tanker

9410870

113010

Liberia

RU TUA

TUAPSE

ATD: 2022-12-24 01:46 LT

AE FJR
FUJAIRAH

changed the port of destination to

TN LSK
SKHIRA

ETA: 2023-01-10 11:00 LT

 

 

ATA: 2023-01-10 12:38 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager HS EVERETT LTD 80, Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia.

Registered owner HS EVERETT LTD 80, Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia.

2

ODYSSEUS

Crude Oil Tanker

9332810

115577

St.Kitts and Nevis

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-14 19:28 LT

TN BIZ

BIZERTE

ETA: 2023-01-25 13:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager GATIK SHIP MANAGEMENT M/S E-306, 3rd Floor, Eastern Business District, Neptune Magnet Mall, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Bhandup (W), Mumbai, 400078, India. Registered owner NEW ODYSSEY INC Care of m/s Gatik Ship Management, E-306, 3rd Floor, Eastern Business District, Neptune Magnet Mall, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Bhandup (W), Mumbai, 400078, India.

China [CN]

1

MINERVA ELEONORA

Crude Oil Tanker

9276573

103622

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-01 14:41 LT

CN LYG

LIANYUNGANG

ETA: 2023-02-10 20:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager MINERVA MARINE INC 141-143, Vouliagmenis Avenue & 1 Aiolou Street, Voula, 166 73 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner ELEONORA SHIPOWNING SA Care of Minerva Marine Inc, 141-143, Vouliagmenis Avenue & 1 Aiolou Street, Voula, 166 73 Athens, Greece.

2

SCF BAIKAL

Crude Oil Tanker

9422457

158097

Liberia

RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH

ATD: 2023-01-09 15:00 LT

CN ZOS

ZHOUSHAN

ETA: 2023-02-20 02:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager SUN SHIP MANAGEMENTOffice OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Registered owner CAMBER SHIPPING INC Care of SUN Ship Management (D) Ltd, Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Oman [OM]

1

ALPINE PERSEFONE

Crude Oil Tanker

9379961

74269

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-03 10:33 LT

GR NEAPOLI ANCH

changed the port of destination to

OM SOH
SOHAR

ATA: 2023-01-15 14:59 LT

 

 

ETA: 2023-01-30 21:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager OCEANGOLD TANKERS INC Status Center, 41, Athinas Avenue, Vouliagmeni, 166 71 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner BAYSIDE SHIPPING LTD Care of OceanGold Tankers Inc, Status Center, 41, Athinas Avenue, Vouliagmeni, 166 71 Athens, Greece.

Brazil [BR]

1

MINERVA ARIES

Crude Oil Tanker

9412177

105484

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-07 00:10 LT

VATIKA BAY (GR)

changed the port of destination to

BR TRM
TRAMANDAI

 

 

 

ETA: 2023-02-07 18:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager MINERVA MARINE INC 141-143, Vouliagmenis Avenue & 1 Aiolou Street, Voula, 166 73 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner FLUTURA HOLDINGS CO Care of Minerva Marine Inc, 141-143, Vouliagmenis Avenue & 1 Aiolou Street, Voula, 166 73 Athens, Greece

Senegal [SN]

1

ST.ANDREW

Crude Oil Tanker

9308144

50338

Liberia

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-18 01:41 LT

SN DKR

DAKAR

ETA: 2023-02-03 19:00 LT UTC

Ship manager/Commercial manager SPINEL SEAWAY LTD 80, Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia.

Registered owner SPINEL SEAWAY LTD 80, Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia.

United Arab Emirates [AE]

1

BEKS FENIX

Crude Oil Tanker

9356751

49933

Marshall Is

RU NVS

NOVOROSSIYSK

ATD: 2023-01-23 00:31 LT

AE FJR

FUJAIRAH

ETA: 2023-02-11 22:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager BEKS GEMI ISLETMECILIGI VE TIC Kore Sehitleri Caddesi 48/50, Esentepe Mah, Sisli, 34394 Istanbul, Turkey.

Registered owner COLEUS MARITIME & TRADING INC Care of Beks Gemi Isletmeciligi ve Ticaret AS (Beks Shipmanagement & Trading SA), Kore Sehitleri Caddesi 48/50, Esentepe Mah, Sisli, 34394 Istanbul, Turkey.

2

SOUSTA

Crude Oil Tanker

9384992

106045

Marshall Is

RU TAM

TAMAN

ATD: 2023-01-15 04:39 LT

AE FJR

FUJAIRAH

ETA: 2023-02-13 03:00 LT

Ship manager/Commercial manager SPRING MARINE MANAGEMENT SA 1st Floor, 6, Agias Kiriakis, Palaio Faliro, 175 64 Athens, Greece.

Registered owner SOUSTA SHIPPING CO Care of Spring Marine Management SA, 1st Floor, 6, Agias Kiriakis, Palaio Faliro, 175 64 Athens, Greece.

* * *

This article has been prepared with the support of the European Union in Ukraine. The content of the article is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the EU

 

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