State of Russian Diesel Fuel Exports in November 2023
Exports of Russian diesel fuel and gasoil through sea ports in November 2023 fell to the lowest level since February 2023, notably due to US sanctions. According to reports, export volumes reached 2.48 million tons, which is 11% less compared to October 2023 and 20% lower than the same period last year.
Main Buyers and Changes in Imports
The main buyer of Russian diesel fuel, Turkey, reduced its imports by 27%, amounting to 889 thousand tons. Additionally, transshipment in Brazil also decreased by 11% to 191 thousand tons. At the same time, volumes of fuel without a final destination increased threefold, rising from 53 thousand to 157 thousand tons.
In November 2023, 918 thousand tons of Russian fuel were delivered to Africa, particularly:
- Egypt nearly doubled its purchases to 256 thousand tons;
- Senegal increased imports to 125 thousand tons.
The total export of Russian diesel fuel for the first 11 months of 2023 increased by 2% and reached 40.4 million tons. It is important to note that US sanctions against major Russian oil and gas companies, such as 'Rosneft' and 'Lukoil', were introduced at the end of October 2023. These sanctions, which came into effect on October 22, 2025, raised concerns among correspondent banks in Turkey and Brazil, which, in turn, could have impacted import volumes.
The situation in the Russian diesel fuel export market indicates a negative impact from international sanctions that limit the possibility of product realization. The decrease in supply volumes to key markets, such as Turkey and Brazil, may indicate a gradual isolation of Russian energy companies. However, the increase in supplies to African countries suggests the potential for redirecting goods to new markets, which may partially compensate for losses in other regions.