According to Reuters article published on May 17, 2023, two cargoes of diesel sailing from Russia to South America have switched their destination to Brazil from Chile, according to Refinitiv Eikon's vessel monitoring data.
Russia has exported fuel to many countries that previously imported little or none of its oil since the European Union banned Russian fuel imports in February under sanctions to punish Russia for invading Ukraine.
In Latin America, where fuel imports have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, Brazil has become the main importer of Russian diesel cargoes, with Cuba also ramping up purchases of Russian crude and fuel, according to the Eikon data.
The Liberia-flagged tanker Oscar departed Russia's Primorsk terminal earlier this month carrying diesel to South America. It signaled Chile as destination, but later changed it to Brazil's Suape port, where it is now waiting to discharge.
The St Kitts and Nevis-flagged tanker Zeynep also loaded at Primorsk and signaled several countries including Chile as intended destinations, before reaching Brazil's coast this week.
A third diesel cargo that departed Primorsk this month carrying diesel, the Malta-flagged Zoilo, is also crossing the Atlantic Ocean heading to Brazil.
Brazil has no import restrictions on Russian diesel. Some companies, however, avoid buying Russian fuel because of internal compliance rules.
It was not immediately clear which companies chartered the vessels to Brazil.
Reuters earlier reported that the two cargoes would have marked the start of Russian diesel exports to Chile. Chilean companies ENAP, Copec and Enex told Reuters they had not purchased the cargoes.
