A queue of tankers is building off the key Far East Russian export terminal of Kozmino following a massive new US sanctions programme.
The previous Biden administration blacklisted more than 160 tankers on 10 January to try to reduce Moscow’s oil revenue.
Shipping tracking data showed nine vessels idling near the Pacific port on Monday.
A further 11 are either approaching the country’s biggest oil export terminal or have recently left.
This is a bigger number than usual, traders told Bloomberg.
If the trend continues, the Putin regime could struggle to find sufficient tonnage to ship out its crude.
Industry players are noting other signs of problems in the system, with some vessels performing U-turns away from the port and buyers sourcing supplies elsewhere.
India has barred sanctioned tankers, while China’s Shandong Port Group is not handling the ships.
Bloomberg data show that from December to 10 January, 27 tankers loaded ESPO crude at Kozmino.
Traders said a shortage of ships could eventually force Russia to restrict exports from the terminal.
The only tanker sanctioned by the US this month that has since loaded a cargo of ESPO crude is the 159,000-dwt Li Bai (built 2011), tracking data showed.
The ship remained at anchorage on Tuesday following the loading on Saturday.
The Li Bai is operated by Haima Shipping of the Seychelles.
Bloomberg counted 10 sanctions-free tankers near Kozmino.
Last week, TradeWinds reported an aframax that had been waiting off China laden with Russian oil had become the first of a raft of recently sanctioned tankers to discharge its cargo.
The 112,700-dwt Panamanian-flagged Mermar (built 2002) was observed alongside a terminal in Longkou Port in Shandong province, where many of China’s independent refineries that have been big importers of Russian crude are based.
It docked there on 15 January, LSEG data showed.
The Mermar had departed Kozmino on 5 January laden with crude and was last seen waiting off the coast, Kpler data showed.
Freight rates have more than trebled for the trip.
