US Senator Warns Greek Shipowner Over Russian Diesel Cargo
Cubierto por 3 fuentesPublicado
- MARITIME_EXECUTIVEU.S. Senator Calls Out Greek Shipowner Over Cargo of Russian Diesel
- Chamber of shippingU.S. senator demands Russian diesel tanker reverse course amid legal dispute over imports
- Trade newsGreek tanker carrying Russian diesel in Atlantic may not discharge in US
- Trade newsThanassis Martinos urged to turn back tanker amid showdown over Putin-Trump diesel deal
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, Connecticut) sent a letter to a Greek shipowner warning that delivering a cargo of Russian diesel at U.S. ports would be illegal, despite the White House's position to the contrary through a Treasury license.
The vessel in question is the Agioi Fanendes (IMO 9798375), flying the Maltese flag and belonging to shipping company Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited (EastMed), owned by Thanassis Martinos. The tanker loaded diesel at the Russian port of Primorsk and departed declaring the Port of New York and New Jersey (USNY) as its destination. According to the Chamber of Shipping, the cargo amounts to around 40,000 tonnes and arrival was scheduled for November 7.
Blumenthal bases his warning on the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022, which bans the import of Russian energy products into the United States. The senator argues that no executive action can override that law, referring to General License No. 135 issued by the Treasury, which according to the Chamber of Shipping authorizes Russian diesel transactions until April 2027.
In his letter, the senator demanded that the shipowner provide detailed information on the seller, buyer, charterer, insurer and terminal operator involved in the operation, with a deadline of October 31, according to the Chamber of Shipping. Blumenthal made a similar demand to Vietnamese shipping company PetroVietnam, which he also asked to turn back another vessel, in what he described as a strong message to shipping companies carrying Russian diesel deemed illegal to U.S. ports.
A day after the letter became known, Martinos himself stated that the charterers of the Agioi Fanendes had not yet given final orders on the vessel's final destination, meaning discharge in the United States is not guaranteed and the cargo could end up at another port. Meanwhile, Maritime Executive reported that two other tankers that departed from St. Petersburg during the same period, bound for North America and with cargoes declared as diesel, were actually carrying Russian-origin UAN fertilizer, a non-sanctioned product, according to monitoring firm TankerTrackers.com.
