Russian Diesel Fuel Bound For The U.S. Is Stuck In The Atlantic
- 9.11.2026, 13:01
The tanker Agioi Fanendes slowed down and did not arrive in New York.
The tanker Agioi Fanendes carrying Russian diesel fuel, the last of the vessels still heading toward the U.S., had slowed to nearly half its speed by the morning of November 9 compared to the end of October. This is according to data from vessel tracking services. As initially expected, it did not arrive in New York by November 7, and its new destination and arrival date are unknown, according to “Agency”.
According to Marine Traffic, on Monday morning the tanker was in the North Atlantic and was heading west at a speed of 6–6.5 knots (about 12 km/h). On October 28, according to Trackir, it was traveling at a speed of 10.7 knots (about 20 km/h). Instead of a port of destination, Marine Traffic and VesselFinder list “For Orders” and do not specify an arrival date. Meanwhile, on October 23, Reuters, citing data from LSEG, reported that the vessel was heading to New York and was scheduled to arrive on November 7.
What about the other tankers
As the Financial Times reported on October 27, three tankers—the Agioi Fanendes, the Talisman, and the Leruo—set sail from Russian ports bound for the U.S. In total, they were carrying about 140,000 metric tons of fuel. Later, the Talisman changed course, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, and indicated an unspecified destination, while the Leruo switched from a U.S. route to a Brazilian one, the “Agency” noted. According to the latest data, the Talisman is heading to the Egyptian port of El Deheila, where it is scheduled to arrive at 12:00 p.m. local time (1:00 p.m. Minsk time). The Leruo last transmitted its coordinates nearly six days ago.
Last Thursday, Russian President’s Special Representative Kirill Dmitriev called reports of the tankers’ course change “fake news.”
Opposition in the U.S.
Following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement regarding the diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, senators from both parties criticized it. On October 26, a bipartisan group of lawmakers called on the heads of the port authorities in Houston, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, and New York not to facilitate shipments of Russian fuel and warned of possible legal consequences. A 2022 law remains in effect in the U.S. that bans the import of Russian petroleum products, including diesel fuel.
On November 2, New Jersey Governor Miki Sherrill sent a letter to port and terminal operators in the state urging them not to accept Russian fuel. She warned that importing Russian diesel could result in civil and criminal liability and promised to use all legal and administrative measures available to the state against such shipments.
Trump announced the agreement with Putin on October 9 following a phone call with the Russian leader. On the same day, the U.S. Treasury Department temporarily authorized transactions involving Russian diesel fuel, which had previously been prohibited by U.S. sanctions.