A secret fleet of 600 tankers transports Russian oil around the world - the media

Journalists found that the Kremlin uses Figure Companies from Dubai and Hong Kong. Tankers buy in Europe or use old ones who would otherwise go for disposal. Importers from all over the world are still receiving Russian oil. But even those who carefully monitor these supplies cannot say exactly who these mysterious suppliers of Russian "black gold". CNN writes about it.

Given the strengthening of economic sanctions on Russia, more and more ships are joining the shadow fleet, which delivers Russian export oil to customers. According to the representatives of the industry, this group has about 600 ships, or 10% of all major world tankers. And their number is growing. In a number of cases, the Russian Federation resorts to the Dubai and Hong Kong's Final companies. To do this, buy vessels in Europe or use old ships that would otherwise be sent to scrap.

According to one of the employees of the trading firm, the Russian Federation is stuck in the shadow business, and this trend is gaining momentum. Russian clients from Europe, who are forbidden to launch oil and petroleum products from the Russian Federation, are replaced by companies from China and India.

Richard Matthew, the head of the research department of the brokerage firm Ea Gibson, explained that "there is a trade fleet that does not lead business with the Russian Federation, but is one that practically works for Russians. " According to him, only a small group of ships works with both and others. The Russian Federation, as the second largest oil exporter, is essentially divided the global oil market in two.

While Europe refuses Russian energy, importers from Asia are making more and more transactions. China has increased the import of Russian oil to 1. 9 billion barrels a day last year, which is 19% more than a year earlier, according to the International Energy Agency. Supply to India increased 9 times, to 900,000 barrels per day. Oil supply to India and China was a record in January. Such orders require tankers, which are small in the Russian Federation.

Matthew Wright, a senior analyst of Kpler, identifies two categories of ships that carry Russian oil: "Gray" and "Black". After the large -scale Russian invasion, the first, mostly owned by Europeans, were sold to companies in the Middle East and Asia. In addition, these companies have not been involved in such a business. The second category includes veterans of shadow trade - Iran and Venezuela.

According to the Wright, there is evidence that ships change their automatic identification system that helps you find ships. To supply oil to India and China is longer and more expensive than, for example, to neighboring Finland. And now Russia has to increase the possibility of oil transportation, than it was to a large -scale invasion of Ukraine, according to EA Gibson estimates. Recall that Chinese oil refineries resumed the purchase of oil from the Russian Federation.