First tanker carrying Russian diesel to U.S. heads for New York after Trump-Putin deal, set to arrive after midterm elections

A Russian-flagged tanker, Agioi Fanendes, will be the first to transport diesel from Russia to the United States since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The vessel, carrying 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low-sulfur diesel, departed the Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22 and is expected to dock in New York on November 7, just after the U.S. midterm elections.

The tanker, owned by Maltatankers Shipping Ltd. and operated by Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd., is 183 meters long and 32 meters wide. After loading at Primorsk, the tanker's draft increased to 11 meters, indicating the cargo. Its registration with the U.S. Treasury Department's OFAC allows for transactions involving Russian diesel, including direct imports into the U.S. This deal, announced by former President Donald Trump on October 9, aims to provide relief to U.S. consumers by potentially lowering diesel prices ahead of the elections.

However, the shipment is anticipated to arrive in the U.S. after the voting concludes, and the impact on market prices may not align with its physical arrival. Despite the deal, Russian diesel exports overall have dropped by 41% year-on-year since the beginning of 2026, indicating a decrease in deliveries to other traditional markets.

Critics, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and some Democratic senators, have slammed the deal, viewing it as a betrayal of Ukraine and a potential security threat.