As gasoline crisis worsens, Russia boosts fuel imports through Murmansk
Over the past month, tankers have delivered more than 320,000 tonnes of foreign-made fuel to the northern Russian port of Murmansk.
The Cerrado (IMO: 9360441) sailed through the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea en route to Murmansk on 15 September. The 173-metre-long oil products tanker was on its way from Tangier, Morocco, with about 40,000 tonnes of fuel.
The Cerrado is one of several carriers involved in fuel deliveries to Russia via the far northern port. Over the past month, at least seven oil product tankers have sailed to Murmansk, with their accumulated carrying capacity exceeding 320,000 tonnes.
Among the tankers is the Amarand (IMO: 9409467), a sanctioned shadow vessel that can carry up to 75,000 tonnes of oil products. The 228-metre-long tanker arrived at the Kola Peninsula on 3 September.
In addition, the tankers Nobler (IMO: 9255983), Chem Nicolas (IMO: 9374416), Talisman (IMO: 9292060), Sino Prosperity (IMO: 9328132), and Fidan (IMO: 9423736) have made port calls to the northern Russian port.
Most likely, all the tankers carried gasoline, which was unloaded in Murmansk Port and subsequently sent southwards by railway.
Russia is in high demand for gasoline imports following Ukraine’s successful destruction of Russian refining capacities.
Huge lines of cars queue at petrol stations across Russia. Lately, even St Petersburg and the Leningrad region have experienced major gasoline shortages. In the northern Russian naval city of Severodvinsk, there was only one gas station in operation in late August. Across the Arkhangelsk region, there is a growing problem with thieves emptying the fuel tanks of other people’s cars, as well as petrol bribes.
Because of the attacks, Moscow has banned diesel exports until the end of September and gasoline exports until the end of the year.
Russia, which is normally a major producer and exporter of refined oil products, has seen its exports shrink considerably. According to SwissDataGuy, a Ukraine news reporter on Bluesky, Russia’s exports of refined oil products hit a new low in August. Only 4,05 million tonnes left the country, worth €2.4 billion—57% less than in August last year.
The Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on Russian oil installations are a response to Putin’s war of aggression and the merciless Russian killings and destruction of civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.
