Sanctioned tankers carrying Russian oil are currently idling off the coast of China.

Three tankers carrying over 2 million barrels of Russian oil have stopped near the ports of eastern China. They were subjected to U.S. sanctions announced on January 10.

This is reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Bloomberg.

According to Kpler, a company that specializes in collecting data on commodity markets, the vessel Huihai Pacific was scheduled to arrive in Dongjiakou in Shandong Province on January 15 after loading nearly 770,000 barrels of ESPO crude oil from the Russian Pacific port of Kozmino at the beginning of the month. However, over the weekend, it changed course and is now anchored offshore, loaded with oil.

This ship, like many others, fell under the most aggressive package of measures aimed at Russian oil exports since the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Several tankers and at least one trader dealing in ESPO oil—a grade preferred by independent Chinese refiners, or “teapots”—have been sanctioned.

Mermar departed Kozmino on January 5 with over 755,000 barrels of ESPO and was supposed to dock at the port of Yantai this week, but is now waiting offshore, according to Kpler data. Olia left the Russian port on January 7 with nearly 709,000 barrels of this grade and was also heading to Yantai, but is currently located in the Yellow Sea.

Washington's actions came just days after Shandong Port Group, which manages several ports in the province, urged terminals to stop accepting and unloading sanctioned oil tankers.

New Sanctions

The U.S. Treasury announced on January 10 new extensive sanctions against the Russian energy sector, including the largest oil company Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, to hinder Moscow in its war with Ukraine, depriving it of billions of dollars each month.

The sanctions also affect over 180 vessels and dozens of oil traders, service providers in the oil industry, insurance companies, and energy sector officials.

According to Kpler, the latest sanctions impacted tankers that account for about 42% of maritime oil exports from Russia, primarily to China.

As noted by analysts at JP Morgan, the new measures are likely to provide the Trump administration with additional leverage in future negotiations with Russia as it decides whether, when, and under what conditions to lift the sanctions imposed by Biden.