More than 176,000 tonnes of South Korean fuel shipped to Russia

Seven tankers made 14 voyages from South Korea to Russia’s Far East in July and August, carrying more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel. Most of the cargo was diesel.

An analysis of port records and ship-tracking data found that three of the vessels were sanctioned by the UK and EU. One received about 26,000 tonnes through a transfer from the unsanctioned Celeste I at an anchorage off Yeosu, without entering a port.

The shipments came as Ukrainian drone strikes disrupted Russian fuel production. The International Energy Agency said Russian refinery throughput fell in June to its lowest level in more than 20 years, while diesel output was down by almost 30% year on year.

Sanctioned tankers and routes

The largest carrier, Layla, sailed from Ulsan to Vladivostok on 19 July and 10 August, carrying 57,000 tonnes of diesel in total. On its second voyage, it declared Niigata in Japan as its destination but later sailed to Vladivostok.

The Russian-flagged Astoria, also sanctioned by Australia, loaded nearly 11,000 tonnes of fuel at Ulsan on 1 August. It declared Japan as its destination before travelling to Vladivostok.

The vessels’ owners and managers did not respond to requests for comment. South Korean port records do not identify who owned or sold the fuel.

South Korea’s share of imports

Kpler data showed that Russia imported 368,000 tonnes of oil products by sea in August, more than seven times the previous month and the highest monthly total since the full-scale invasion. South Korea supplied 112,000 tonnes, or 31%, second only to India.

Buyers included Rosneft, Russia’s state-controlled oil company, which is sanctioned by the UK, US, EU and Australia. They also included NNK; its owner Eduard Khudainatov and NNK-Oil are under UK sanctions.

Seoul and London respond

Isaac Levi, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said the use of sanctioned tankers undermined the sanctions regime and South Korea’s support for Ukraine.

The shipments do not appear to breach South Korean law, whose measures against Russia mainly concern exports of industrial machinery, electronics and vehicles. South Korea’s foreign ministry did not address the voyages but said it had expanded export controls to 1,402 goods and was monitoring enforcement.

The UK did not say whether it had raised the tankers’ use with Seoul. A Foreign Office spokesperson said Britain remained focused on increasing economic pressure on Russia and reducing revenues funding its war against Ukraine.