An aging tanker banned from docking in India is transferring its cargo of Russian oil at sea, Reuters reported on April 4, citing sources and ship tracking data.
The 20-year-old Andaman Skies was last week barred from entering the Indian port of Vadinar due to safety concerns over its seaworthiness.
It is now transferring around 100,000 metric tonnes of oil sold by Russia's Lukoil to two other ships, the Sao Tome and the Ozanno.
Following the sanctions imposed against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has been seeking new markets for its fossil fuels. India has become a key buyer of Russian oil, second only to China.
Multiple tankers carrying Russian crude have been unable to land in Indian ports in recent months in connection to sanctions.
According to Bloomberg, dozens of sanctioned vessels are now idling in numbers not seen since 2017.
The U.S. has been tightening its restrictions against Russian oil since last October, sanctioning around 40 oil tankers involved in the trade.
Russia's largest shipping company, Sovcomflot, came under fresh sanctions in February for violating the $60-per-barrel price cap.
Towards the end of 2023, Group of Seven (G7) countries vowed to step up enforcement of the price cap, first implemented in December 2022, after reports emerged that Russia has continued to ship out much of its crude above $60 per barrel by using a "ghost fleet" of mostly uninsured tankers.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
