Sanctioned Russia Oil Tanker Turns Back from Detour Around UK

The Aframax tanker Attica, which was sanctioned by the UK last month for carrying Russian oil, was on Thursday 5 Dec observed heading on a route that would have taken it around the north of the UK on its voyage to the Suez Canal, ship tracking compiled by Bloomberg shows. 

But the vessel made a u-turn and headed south toward the English Channel hours after Bloomberg published a story highlighting its unusual route. On Friday, it was passing the stretch of water between the UK and France and by Monday was moving toward northern Spain.The original route around the north of the UK would have added about two days, or 25%, to its journey from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea.

Three UK government bodies are working together to challenge Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet perceived to have dubious insurance if they pass through UK waters. One vessel that ignored the challenge was subsequently blacklisted. 

A spokeswoman for the UK’s Department for Transport said it didn’t comment on individual cases when asked about the vessel.

The Attica loaded about 730,000 barrels of Urals crude at Russia’s Ust-Luga export terminal, close to St. Petersburg on the Baltic Sea, and is hauling it to Vadinar in India, according to shipping information seen by Bloomberg. It’s going via the Egyptian waterway.