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Russia, the world’s second-largest oil exporter, on Wednesday announced further restrictions on its oil export routes with the state-run oil pipeline monopoly, Transneft, confirming the suspension of a mooring at the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk, only a day after restrictions were imposed on a key Caspian pipeline, Reuters reported.
The suspension at Novorossiisk, one of Russia’s largest and most important export ports, will last for 90 days following an inspection by a transport watchdog, the report said, adding that the temporary closure affects oil loading Berth 8 at the Novorossiisk Commercial Sea Port (NCSP), a vital outlet for Russian oil, which also ships oil from neighboring Kazakhstan.
In a statement, Transneft explained that the ban would remain in place until June 30, unless the port operator addresses the identified violations. “A temporary ban on operations has been imposed on oil loading berth 8,” Transneft reportedly said, adding, “NCSP has been ordered to eliminate all identified violations by June 30, 2025.”
According to the report, Berth 8 primarily handles low-sulfur diesel tankers, with a typical deadweight of about 7,000 metric tons. These vessels are mostly used to carry exports to neighbouring countries, including Turkey and Georgia. Industry sources told Reuters that the berth processed approximately 100,000 tons of diesel between January and March this year.
While the closure of a single mooring is unlikely to significantly disrupt operations at Novorossiisk, it comes amid growing concerns over the stability of Russia’s oil export infrastructure. This follows recent developments at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which also saw two of its three moorings closed earlier this week. The consortium, in which US oil giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil hold stakes, is another key player in the transportation of Russian oil, the report further stated.
The announcement comes just days after US President Donald Trump voiced dissatisfaction over Russia’s progress in peace talks with Ukraine and threatened secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil.
According to the report, Russia produces around 9 million barrels of oil per day, accounting for nearly 10% of global oil production, and its export routes are critical to the global energy supply.
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