Just because the U.S. and EU are sanctioning Russia doesn't mean the entire world is.
Posted on 03/01/2023 8:03:58 PM PST by elpadre
London CNN —
Russian oil is still finding its way to buyers around the world. But even those who spend their days tracking its movement across oceans struggle to work out exactly who is ferrying it.
As Western sanctions against Russia have escalated over its invasion of Ukraine, more ships have joined an existing fleet of mysterious tankers, ready to facilitate Russia’s oil exports.
Industry insiders estimate the size of that “shadow” fleet at roughly 600 vessels, or about 10% of the global number of large tankers. And numbers continue to climb.
Who owns and operates many of these ships remains a puzzle. As trading Russian oil became more complex over the past year, many Western shippers withdrew their services. New, obscure players swooped in, with shell companies in Dubai or Hong Kong involved in some cases. Some bought boats from Europeans, while others tapped old, creaking ships that might have otherwise ended up in the scrapyard.
“You’ve gone deeper into the dark arts,” a senior executive at an oil trading firm told CNN, referring to this opaque network.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
excerpted:
“.. As Europe has weaned itself off Russian energy, buyers in Asia have cut deals. China boosted imports of Russian oil to 1.9 million barrels per day on average in 2022, up 19% from 2021, according to the International Energy Agency. India ramped up purchases even more sharply, logging an 800% increase to an average of 900,000 barrels per day.
Russia’s oil exports to China and India both hit record highs in January after Europe’s ban on seaborne Russian oil took effect, according to Kpler, a data and analytics company. Exports to Turkey, another top customer, also continued apace...”
Ooo oooo oooo mistah cartah! Mistah Cartah!
I know!
It’s the Chinese!
The stupidest thing Biden could do would be to try to seize these ships.
Therefore, I expect Biden to try to seize these ships.
After all, once you’ve blown up a pipeline what’s a little piracy?
Just because the U.S. and EU are sanctioning Russia doesn't mean the entire world is.
Some bought boats from Europeans, while others tapped old, creaking ships that might have otherwise ended up in the scrapyard.
Scrapping old ships is big business in Pakistan. Maybe many of these are from there, repainted and reflagged. We may see some spectacular oil spills if they are doing it.
“Russian oil is still finding its way to buyers around the world.”
SOME OF US were saying this from the day that oil ‘sanctions’ were announced - since ships can sail wherever they please.
Others, the Neocon Cheerleaders, were saying we were wrong...looks like THEY were wrong.
Supply and Demand. When President Trump was the Legit President the USA was a net exporter. With Dementia Joe we are just a very large Dysfunctional Woke country with out-of-control inflation. Anarchy in leftist states and cities. A country in steep decline.
A country in the throws of insanity that a great many reject the one President that brought Sanity and Prosperity despite off-the-charts opposition from all quarters. 24/7/365. Including most members of his own party.
Yet, in the face of all of that insane opposition, the man created the best economy and the most peaceful time in many decades.
Yet, even here on FreeRepublic we have a good many people who oppose the man. That level of insanity is very hard to comprehend for any sane, rational person.
Through Turkey, Europe still receives its Russian oil.
It’s a farce.
A whole lot easier would just be to have the Silent Service start torpedoing them. After all they are engages in international piracy, or smuggling or some sort of blackguardairie and so they had it coming, whoever they are.
And just like the Norstrom pipeline, you could never be really sure who was the culprit. Espcially if Biden starts telling double secret lies about it.
And Vlad couldn't get too upset, and if he did, so what. A nuclear tsunami on DC - who would deny him the pleasure of a thing like that?
India buys heavily discounted Russian oil, refines it into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other products. Then the hypocritical Europeans buy and import the products at world prices. Of course the Europeans “boycott” Russian oil and won’t build refineries.
Like $$ oil is infinitely fungible. Of course people smuggle it. The handling costs for a little endrunning and pea shuffling is small compared to the markup from production to international prices - so everyone wins, the smuggler, the end user, and Russia. Who loses - some dolts in the UN or the EU?
I've seen numerous Zeepers say that "the sanctions R working®"
The West with their emotion based sanction stupidity are only hurting global consumers & producers.
“People of commerce” will evade the stupidity and make a nice profit while providing goods & commodities to consumers & commercial operations.
Sanctions get a lot of hype but are bad for people and businesses.
People that work in the public sector are the most likely to engage in these economic fantasies, because every thing they do or contemplate is “for free” in their mindset.
You can let me know how that boycott works out won’t you?
Simply stupid isn’t it? Always has been. A token but provocative act.
And I’ll bet fertilizer in other parts of the world isn’t $25 for a 35lb bag.
And I’ll bet fertilizer in other parts of the world isn’t $25 for a 35lb bag.
***********”
We haven’t even reached peak economic stupidity yet, it’s just getting started.
What is disgusting, is certain factions on Free Republic are cheerleading this idiocy.
It reminds me so much of virus hysteria.
It does not make sense to support the economy of your enemies but we have been doing it for decades already with the chicoms and the russkies. Or is it roooskies?
The cheerleaders I don’t get. Some of them are trolls but then not all are.
Is the Gore family still invested in Occidental Petroleum?
Really? NOBODY knows who is running these tankers?
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