Traders and Refinitiv data revealed on Monday that Russia exported about 346,000 metric tons of low-sulfur diesel from its Baltic Sea port of Primorsk to Morocco, Turkey, and Tunisia between February 1 and 5.
No shipments of diesel from the port to Europe have been made since the beginning of February.
A comprehensive ban on imports of Russian petroleum products into the European Union began on Feb. 5, according to Reuters.
In addition to the embargo, EU countries have agreed to cap the prices of Russian refined petroleum products to curb funding for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to a document published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the maximum price of diesel from Russian refineries will be 100 dollars per barrel.
Alexander Novak, the deputy prime minister of Russia, stated in December that it would be better for Moscow to reduce oil production rather than submit to a Western-imposed cap.
Novak added that his country will divert its supplies to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Seeking new markets, Russia increased diesel supplies in January via sea to Morocco, Turkey, Ghana, Senegal, Libya, Ivory Coast and Uruguay, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon.
Russia plans to export 1.71 million tons of diesel from the port of Primorsk this month.
