Two Tankers With Russian Oil Stay Mysteriously Idle Off Indian Coast For Weeks

Two tankers loaded with Russian flagship Urals crude have been mysteriously idle near the West Coast of India for more than three weeks. This has raised concerns about possible disruptions in the flow of Russian Oil.

The Aframax tanker Crude Centurion arrived near its intended destination, Sikka, on February 21, while another vessel, the Afragold, has been floating nearby since February 29 after briefly signalling Mundra. Both tankers transported approximately 700,000 barrels of Urals in January from the Russian port of Primorsk on the Baltic Sea.

Tankers carrying Russian oil appear to be having difficulties operating due to intensifying Western sanctions, although the exact cause of their extended idle time is still unknown.

These ships have been acting strangely in the last few months. They spend extended periods in the Indian Ocean, eventually unloading in Indian ports or changing their course to the Middle East.

Due to sanctions, Russian Sokol crude has been brutally hit. Earlier this year, refiners in India walked away from the grade, leaving up to 18 million barrels of oil stranded. However, the backlog is progressively clearing, with most tankers now headed to China after weeks of idle time.

These interruptions have not significantly impacted the shipments of Urals crude. According to the Equasis worldwide marine database, Universal Tanker Management (UTM-MAI) manages the Afragold.

Nevertheless, calls to the company’s Malta phone number were unanswered. Meanwhile, the Crude Centurion is operated by Athens-based Stealth Maritime Corp. Still, no comment was available due to a Greek public holiday, according to a person who answered the phone.

Reference: business-standard, Sagar Sandesh

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