Russian Black Sea Crude Oil Exports in April 2022 - August 2023 and Reasons Behind the Drop
The Monitoring Group of the BlackSeaNews and Black Sea Institute for Strategic Studies
Based on the results of our own monitoring (see Table 1), the monitoring group of the BlackSeaNews and Black Sea Institute for Strategic Studies reports on the main trends in Russian oil exports from the Black and Azov Seas in April 2022-August 2023.
* * *
As reported earlier, in March 2023, Russia’s crude oil exports from the Black Sea ports set an absolute record of 5,565,874 tons, which was significantly higher than in any previous month since April 2022.
Subsequently, in April 2023, crude oil exports decreased by 14.2% to 4,822,058 tons, while in May and June 2023, they increased again totaling almost 5 million tons in each. But in July 2023, exports dropped by 27.2% to 3,636,836 tons, and in August 2023, the decline continued, with a further reduction of 12.6% compared to the previous month.
It is too early, however, to determine the nature for the decline with certainty.
For example, while in May 2023, the growth was clearly driven by EU countries, meaning the embargo violations, in June 2023, it were the non-EU countries who accounted for the high level of exports comparable to the March ones. Conversely, while in July 2023, 67.2% of the decline in exports was due to the EU countries, i.e., a decrease in embargo violations, in August 2023, the volume of exports to the EU in violation of the embargo increased again — from 222,316 to 377,766 tons.
At the same time, maritime exports to countries that had not joined the embargo continued to decline, amounting to 18.0%, or 614,014 tons. It is possible that the main reason for the drop was the seasonal factor in the oil refining industry of the exporting and importing countries, but it’d be possible to verify that only in September-October 2023.
Let’s keep in mind that on July 24, 2023, the EU's decision that tankers committing such violations are banned from entering EU ports came into force. The analysis of violations of the embargo on Russian maritime crude oil will be provided in a separate publication.
We cannot rule out a deliberate hold back of crude oil exports by Russia to stimulate further growth of the world oil prices.
For reference, in June 2023, 42 tankers transported Russian oil from the Black Sea, while there were only 28 in July, and 26 — in August. While in June, 15 tankers belonged to European companies, in July there were 9, and in August 11, namely, 8 — from Greece, 1 — Norway, 1 — Monaco and 1 — UK. Among the tankers transporting Russian crude oil in August 2023, 6 were owned by Russian shipowners re-registered in the UAE and 3 — by Turkish companies.
Notes:
а) the Russian Federation exports crude oil and oil products — fuel oil, gas oil and diesel fuel — from the ports of the Black and Azov Seas. The cargo is carried by two different types of vessels — crude oil tankers and oil/chemical (oil product) tankers, respectively. While crude oil tankers are usually very large and in the Black Sea each of them is capable of taking 100 to 150 thousand tons of crude oil, oil product tankers have a much smaller carrying capacity in the 3-5 and 25-30 thousand ton ranges. The monthly ratio of crude oil to oil product exports is approximately 3:1;
b) there are two separate streams of crude oil exported from the Black Sea ports: Russian crude oil — from the ports of Novorossiysk, Taman, Tuapse, the raid transshipment in the Kerch Strait and south of it and crude oil of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) — from a special terminal in the port of Novorossiysk. The latter contains 80% Kazakh oil and 20% oil produced in Kazakhstan by the Russian Lukoil company. Despite the fact that it is transported via the Russian territory, Kazakh oil is currently not subject to sanctions;
c) when showing the crude oil and petroleum product export figures, the tables and diagrams use the deadweight (DWT) indicator — the total carrying capacity of a vessel or the total weight of variable cargo in tons, including that of fuel, lubricating oil, technical and drinking water, passengers with luggage, crew and food. The latter does not significantly affect the overall numbers, since even on tankers with a deadweight of 100-150 thousand tons, the cumulative weight of fuel, water, food and a small crew totals mere hundreds of tons, thus, not altering the analysis results;
d) the report does not take into account the volumes of Russian crude oil and oil products exports to the Romanian and Bulgarian Black Sea ports and raid transshipments. For reference: In July 2022, those exports are estimated at about 3.1 million tons — 1.9 million tons to Romania and 1.2 million to Bulgaria. Of those, Russian crude oil accounts for about 2.4 million tons — 1.4 million tons to Romania and 1.0 million to Bulgaria;
e) for convenience, the tables and diagrams use the term «EU+» that besides the EU member states, also includes the US, the UK and Monaco. Such grouping is justified by the fact that Russia's oil and oil product exports to these countries are very small;
f) the Tanker Database given at the end of the report, uses the «crude oil tanker CPC» identification for tanker that transport crude oil from the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal. Tankers transporting crude oil from the Russian Federation are entered as just «crude oil tanker.»
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Table 1. Tankers Transporting Crude Oil from the Russian Black and Azov Seas Ports in August 2023 (database)
Data on shipowners and operators — from www.equasis.org
The first column of the table shows the date of a vessel's passage from the Sea of Marmara through the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea
|
# |
Name |
IMO |
DWT |
Flag |
Port of departure |
Actual Time of Departure |
Port of destination |
Estimated Time of Arrival |
Shipowner |
|
02/08 |
ELANDRA SOUND |
9821706 |
115666 |
Liberia |
RU TAM |
ATD: 2023-07-31 07:55 LT |
TR MAR |
ETA: 2023-08-02 18:00 LT |
Registered owner SEA 51 LEASING CO LTD Care of Mansel Pte Ltd, 15-02, The Heeren, 260, Orchard Road, Singapore 238855 |
|
03/08 |
PLUTUS |
9252955 |
71498 |
Panama |
RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH |
ATD: 2023-07-31 09:06 LT |
ID CIW |
ATA: 2023-08-30 08:33 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager FRACTAL MARINE DMCC Unit 157, Level 5, DMCC Business Centre, Jewellery & Gemplex 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
|
03/08 |
SOUTHPORT |
9408530 |
115462 |
Marshall Is |
RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH |
ATD: 2023-07-29 05:52 LT |
IN SIK |
ETA: 2023-08-17 10:30 LT |
Registered owner MIGHTY SOUTHPORT NAVIGATION Care of Active Denizcilik ve Gemi Isletmeciligi AS, 2 Caddesi 5, Dudullu OSB Mah, Umraniye, 34776 Istanbul, Turkey. |
|
04/08 |
LIPARI |
9529487 |
158237 |
Liberia |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-01 02:32 LT |
HR OMI |
ATA: 2023-08-07 16:27 LT |
Registered owner ALCESTE OWNING CO LTD Care of TMS Tankers Ltd, 109, Kifisias Avenue & Sina Street, Marousi, 151 24 Athens, Greece. |
|
05/08 |
NS BORA |
9412335 |
156697 |
Liberia |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-02 14:02 LT |
IN PRT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager SUN SHIP MANAGEMENT Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
|
|
05/08 |
NS CONSUL |
9341093 |
109716 |
Liberia |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-01 20:04 LT |
IN BOM |
ETA: 2023-08-20 05:31 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager SUN SHIP MANAGEMENT Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
|
06/08 |
STEALTH BERANA |
9437672 |
115897 |
Liberia |
RU TUA |
ATD: 2023-07-31 16:52 LT |
SG SIN |
ETA: 2023-08-27 09:00 LT |
Registered owner CRUDE OIL SERVICES INT Care of Stealth Maritime Corp SA, 331, Kifisias Avenue, Kifisia, 145 61 Athens, Greece. |
|
… |
MERCURY |
9321706 |
158880 |
Gabon |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-07-30 02:12 LT |
IN VAD |
ETA: 2023-08-20 20:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager MERCURY SHIPPING & MARINE INC Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake, Majuro MH 96960, Marshall Islands. |
|
08/08 |
OTTOMAN EQUITY |
9404950 |
149999 |
Turkey |
RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH |
ATD: 2023-08-04 |
SG SIN |
ETA: 2023-08-27 10:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager GUNGEN DENIZCILIK VE TICARET Halici Sokak 9, Gaziosmanpasa Mah, Cankaya, 06700 Ankara, Turkey. |
|
08/08 |
SEMBRANI |
9306639 |
109672 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-07-31 05:42 LT |
GR LAKONIKOS GULF |
ATA: 2023-08-10 03:32 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager GEMILANG BINA LINTAS TIRTA PT Block C6, Danatama Square II, Jalan Mega Kuningan 12A, Kel Kuningan Timur, Jakarta, 12950, Indonesia. |
|
11/08 |
FONTANA |
9792541 |
159541 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-08 14:34 LT |
IN SIK |
ETA: 2023-08-26 02:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager TMS TANKERS LTD 109, Kifisias Avenue & Sina Street, Marousi, 151 24 Athens, Greece. |
|
12/08 |
LI BAI |
9589750 |
158671 |
Panama |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-06 20:59 LT |
CN DLC |
ETA: 2023-09-12 20:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager HAIMA SHIPPING LTD Mahe Island Seychelles. |
|
13/08 |
HEBE |
9259185 |
107144 |
Panama |
RU TUA |
ATD: 2023-08-06 20:00 LT |
MY TPP |
ETA: 2023-09-03 20:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager OCEANLINK SHIPPING & TRADING Office 1507-25B, 15th Floor, Exchange Tower, Business Bay, Bur Dubai, PO Box 334088, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
|
14/08 |
KRITI STATE |
9324289 |
76565 |
Liberia |
RU TUA |
ATD: 2023-08-10 13:07 LT |
SG SIN |
ETA: 2023-08-31 20:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager AVIN INTERNATIONAL LTD 12A, Irodou Attikou Street, Marousi, 151 24 Athens, Greece. |
|
16/08 |
NISSOS IOS |
9886770 |
157447 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-13 08:48 LT |
IN COK |
ETA: 2023-08-30 22:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager KYKLADES MARITIME CORP 2, Ethnarchou Makariou Street & Dimitrios Falireos Street, 185 47 Piraeus, Greece. |
|
17/08 |
GIUSE |
9231468 |
109390 |
Palau |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-12 22:11 LT |
AE FJR |
ETA: 2023-09-03 10:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager AL FAHAD ENERGY TRADING LTD PO Box 23, Duqm Special Economic Zone, 103 Duqm, Oman. |
|
18/08 |
ELANDRA EAGLE |
9792474 |
157554 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-15 22:23 LT |
TR ALIAGA ANCH |
ATA: 2023-08-19 07:06 LT |
Registered owner SEA 100 LEASING CO LTD Care of Mansel Ltd, Belgrave House, 76, Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9TQ, United Kingdom. |
|
26/08 |
GUANYIN |
9299707 |
109857 |
Liberia |
RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH |
ATD: 2023-08-21 20:38 LT |
GR LAKONIKOS GULF |
ATA: 2023-08-28 00:44 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager TEODOR SHIPPING LLC Office 1505, Exchange Tower, Business Bay, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
|
26/08 |
BEKS LOTUS |
9273442 |
72652 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-24 08:13 LT |
TR MAR |
ETA: 2023-08-26 00:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager BEKS TANKER ISLETMECILIGI AS Kapi 3, Kore Sehitleri Caddesi 48-50, Esentepe Mah, Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey. |
|
28/08 |
SCF VANKOR |
9316127 |
163545 |
Liberia |
??? |
??? |
SA JED |
ETA: 2023-08-30 21:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager SUN SHIP MANAGEMENT Office OT 17-32, 17th Floor, Office Tower, Central Park Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre, PO Box 507065, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. |
|
29/08 |
STEALTH HARALAMBOS |
9386536 |
113021 |
Marshall Is |
RU TUA |
ATD: 2023-08-25 11:08 LT |
IN SIK |
ETA: 2023-09-11 18:00 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager SIGNAL PROJECTS LTD 110, Vouliagmenis Avenue, Glyfada, 166 74 Athens, Greece. |
|
29/08 |
SFL LION |
9664770 |
115162 |
Marshall Is |
RU TUA |
ATD: 2023-08-23 19:19 LT |
SG SIN |
ETA: 2023-09-18 07:00 LT |
Registered owner SFL LION INC Care of Frontline Management AS, Bryggegata 3, 0250 Oslo, Norway |
|
29/08 |
BLUE LAGOON I |
9248447 |
148553 |
Panama |
RU KAVKAZ SOUTH ANCH |
ATD: 2023-08-25 19:34 LT |
CN DLC |
ETA: 2023-09-29 20:01 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager SEA TRADE MARINE SA 108, Vasileos Pavlou Street, Voula, 166 73 Athens, Greece. |
|
30/08 |
ADVANTAGE LOVE |
9708552 |
109999 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-26 19:35 LT |
SG SIN |
ETA: 2023-09-18 18:27 LT |
Registered owner MINSHENG YANGJIE TIANJIN SHPG Care of Scorpio Commercial Management SAM, Le Millenium, 9, boulevard Charles III, 98000 Monaco-Ville, Monaco. |
|
31/08 |
NISSOS ANTIMILOS |
9895226 |
157447 |
Marshall Is |
RU NVS |
ATD: 2023-08-28 03:30 LT |
MM KYP |
ETA: 2023-09-18 23:30 LT |
Ship manager/Commercial manager KYKLADES MARITIME CORP 2, Ethnarchou Makariou Street & Dimitrios Falireos Street, 185 47 Piraeus, Greece. |
* * *
This article has been prepared with the support of the European Union in Ukraine. The content of the article is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the position of the EU.
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