U.S. Senator Demands Russian Diesel Tanker Turn Around as Legal Fight Escalates

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) is demanding that a tanker reportedly carrying Russian diesel to the United States reverse course, warning its owner that delivering the cargo would violate federal law despite authorization from the Trump administration.

In an October 27 letter, Blumenthal called on Greek shipowner Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited (EASTMED) to recall the Malta-flagged Agioi Fanendes, which reportedly loaded nearly 40,000 metric tons of diesel at Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22.

The tanker was signaling the Port of New York and New Jersey as its destination, with an expected arrival date of November 7, according to shipping data cited in the letter.

The demand marks a further escalation in the growing dispute over President Donald Trump’s agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume Russian diesel exports to the United States and global markets.

“Should you confirm that this vessel intends to offload Russian diesel fuel at the Port of New York and New Jersey – or any other destination in the United States – we demand that you recall the Agioi Fanendes and to refrain from future transactions in Russian diesel in accordance with U.S. law,” Blumenthal wrote to EASTMED Managing Director Athanasios J. Martinos.

The senator warned that delivering the cargo could expose the shipowner to legal consequences under the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act, passed by Congress in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The legislation prohibits imports of Russian-origin petroleum products, including diesel. However, the Trump administration has issued Treasury General License 135 authorizing transactions involving Russian diesel through April 7, 2027, creating a dispute over whether the administration has the legal authority to permit imports otherwise prohibited by statute.

Blumenthal argues that it does not.

“We recognize that the Treasury Department issued General License No. 135 which reports to authorize transactions for Russia’s diesel exports, but no such license can supersede clear, unambiguous law,” he wrote.

“The President may have given a license to facilitate this transaction, but only Congress can make it legally valid.”

The Treasury Department maintains that the arrangement is legal, while the White House has defended the agreement as a measure to ease fuel costs amid supply disruptions caused by the war with Iran.

In a separate public statement, Blumenthal said he was sending a “sledgehammer message” to shipping companies transporting Russian diesel toward American ports.

“Reverse course while there’s still time,” he warned, adding that the administration’s license would not absolve companies of legal or moral accountability.

Shipowner Given October 31 Deadline

Beyond demanding that the tanker turn around, Blumenthal is seeking detailed information about the companies involved in the shipment.

EASTMED has been asked to identify the cargo’s seller, purchaser, charterer, insurer or protection and indemnity (P&I) provider, terminal operator, and any entity responsible for distribution. The senator also wants to know whether the company received instructions from the Treasury Department or any other federal agency regarding the shipment. The deadline for a response is October 31.

The inquiry extends congressional scrutiny beyond the companies directly purchasing or importing Russian fuel to the shipowners, insurers and other maritime service providers involved in transporting it.

The latest warning follows an October 24 letter from a bipartisan group of lawmakers urging major U.S. banks and port authorities to avoid facilitating Russian diesel imports.

That earlier letter, signed by six senators and one House member, called on financial institutions and port authorities in Texas and New York to preserve records related to Russian diesel transactions, including shipping documents, contracts and communications with government officials.

The lawmakers warned that companies participating in the trade could face future congressional investigations.

The dispute comes as the first shipments begin moving under Trump’s October 9 agreement with Putin, which was intended to increase diesel supplies and ease soaring fuel prices.

Under the agreement, Russia committed to supplying an initial 300,000 metric tons of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons thereafter.

Reuters reported on October 23 that the Agioi Fanendes had loaded approximately 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low-sulfur diesel at Primorsk, citing LSEG shipping data. The identities of the buyer and seller were not immediately known.

For shipowners and other maritime companies, the congressional pressure adds another layer of uncertainty to a trade that the administration has moved to reopen. Although Treasury has authorized qualifying transactions, lawmakers are warning that participants could still face legal challenges over shipments they contend violate the 2022 import ban.

Whether those warnings will affect the Agioi Fanendes‘ planned voyage to New York remains unclear.

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