The Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes loaded 40,000 metric tons of diesel at the Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22 and set course for New York, according to data from ship tracking platform Starboard Maritime Intelligence. The tanker is expected to arrive November 7, four days after the US congressional midterm elections.
The voyage is the first identified US-bound shipment under the agreement President Donald Trump announced October 9. It’s reported to be the first US import since the 2022 ban after the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The resumption of Russian diesel imports comes as fuel prices in the United States surge due to supply disruptions caused by the war with Iran.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price of diesel in the US has nearly doubled since the beginning of the year, reaching 6.32 US dollars per gallon. Rising diesel prices are putting significant pressure on the transportation and agricultural sectors, as well as driving up the cost of consumer goods.
Under the plan announced by President Trump, Russia will initially supply around 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the United States and the global market, followed by 500,000 tonnes in November and a further one million tonnes in the subsequent phase.
