Russian oil tanker enroute to India reversed course, trade disruption because of sanctions?

The tanker Furia, an Aframax-sized vessel, roughly loaded with 730,000 barrels of Russian Urals crude from the Baltic port of Primsork, set out for Sikka, Gujarat, on October 20, 2025. The Sikka port refinery is used by major Indian refiners such as Reliance Industries Ltd. and Bharat Petroleum Corp. However, while navigating the Fehmarn Belt, the strait between Denmark and Germany, the vessel took a U-turn, and according to Bloomberg reports, the vessel is now idling in the Baltic Sea.

Sanctions wearing down India-Russia oil trade?

The reversals occurred just a couple of days after the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned the Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil. There has been no official explanation from the vessel's operator or the government of either nation. The sanctions were aimed at wearing down the Russian oil giants, which are sponsoring its invasion of Ukraine. Bloomberg reporters used ship-tracking platforms Kpler and Vortexa to show that the vessel has made a journey towards Egypt's Port Said. This is the quickest route between Russia and the Western port of India.

The European Union have also sanctioned Furia, which is operated by Azerbaijan-based Harbour Harmony Shipmanagement and Seychelles-based owner, Whispering Willow Corp. This suggests that there is a shipping and logistics concern.

Indian refineries often buy Russian crude oil on a delivery basis, meaning they take ownership of the cargoes only when they are discharged at the port. Reliance has a long-term contract with Rosneft to buy Russian Urals, but since the US sanctions on the Russian oil giants, it has been exercising caution, same is the case with Indian state refineries. The turnaround of these tankers suggests India must carefully monitor sanctions and needs alternative sourcing or buffer stocks for potential disruptions.