(Bloomberg) -- A tanker hauling Russian crude from the Baltic Sea to India is taking an unusually long route around the UK, just as Britain expands sanctions against Russia’s energy industry.
The Aframax tanker Attica, which was sanctioned by the UK last month for carrying Russian oil, is sailing past Scotland’s Shetland Islands — rather than through the English Channel — as it likely heads to India via the Suez Canal.
That course makes a journey from the Baltic to the Mediterranean about two days, or 25%, longer than the more usual route of passing between England and France.
The UK last week imposed sanctions on 30 tankers responsible for moving Russian oil in a bid to curb the flow of petrodollars into the Kremlin’s coffers that’s helping to fund the war in Ukraine. It has also said three government bodies are working together to challenge Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet perceived to have dubious insurance, and blacklisted one vessel that ignored the challenge.
The Attica is the first tanker hauling Russian crude from the Baltic to take the route around Scotland since the UK announced its intent to challenge poorly insured ships in October, vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg show.
The tanker loaded about 730,000 barrels of Urals crude at Russia’s Ust-Luga export terminal, close to St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea. Its journey to the port, undertaken before it was sanctioned by Britain, took it through the English Channel.
Shipping information seen by Bloomberg indicates that the tanker is bound for Vadinar on India’s west coast, though it’s only signaling a destination as far as Port Said in Egypt. That’s a common way point used by vessels intending to transit the Suez Canal.
India emerged as the biggest buyer of Russia’s seaborne crude after most of Moscow’s traditional markets were cut off when the US, UK, European Union and several other nations imposed import bans following the invasion of Ukraine.
--With assistance from Alex Longley and Sherry Su.
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