Agioi Fanendes turns away from New York with Russia's first diesel cargo for the US

The product tanker Agioi Fanendes, carrying the first cargo of Russian diesel bound for the United States under the White House sanctions waiver, has turned away from the US East Coast. After signalling New York, the ship made a U-turn about 400 nautical miles offshore and has been moving in a zigzag pattern since Monday 9 November, broadcasting "for orders" on AIS.

Kpler data show the tanker loaded 40,000 tonnes of ultra-low sulphur diesel, almost 300,000 barrels, at Primorsk on 23 October and set out for the Port of New York and New Jersey with a projected arrival of 7 November. Her manager, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd., said the ship is "proceeding for orders as the discharging port is not confirmed yet".

Where is the cargo going?

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright suggested on Tuesday that the diesel would most likely be sold abroad. "It'll go to another port," he said, adding that the aim was to get the fuel into world markets.

Greenpeace has identified five tankers it links to the diesel deal. Four turned south after rounding England, away from the United States and possibly towards Brazil, leaving Agioi Fanendes as the only one near American shores. Russia said last month that it had loaded four tankers with diesel for the US. No Russian diesel cargo has yet reached the country.

Why is the waiver contested?

The arrangement agreed between President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin ahead of the 3 November midterm elections allowed comparatively small volumes into the US market: about 2.2 million barrels in October, 3.7 million in November and 7.4 million thereafter, against US consumption of about 120 million barrels of diesel a month.

Critics in Congress argue that the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022 bans Russian energy imports and that only Congress can lift it, despite assurances from the US Treasury. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, whose state holds all the petroleum terminals in the port complex, said in late October that she was evaluating options to stop any such cargo arriving, a position covered in our earlier report. Senator Richard Blumenthal has written to the ship's owner warning that unloading the cargo in the US would be an "illegal transaction or aiding and abetting it."

Supply is a further question. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in late October that Russia aimed to export more than 2 million tonnes of diesel in November, but warned that Ukrainian attacks on refineries could trim the volume available.

This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 12 November 2026.