A tanker carrying Russian diesel fuel that was previously traveling toward the United States changed course in the mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. The Maltese-flagged vessel Agioi Fanendes is the last of three tankers originally destined for the U.S. East Coast to turn away. Data from vessel-tracking websites showed the ship moving eastward at less than 2 mph without broadcasting a specific destination.
The attempted shipments followed an Oct. 9 announcement by President Donald Trump stating he would allow Russian diesel to be sold in the United States. The administration stated the move was intended to increase global supply and lower domestic fuel prices following concerns from Senate candidates that high energy costs were affecting midterm election prospects. However, the 2022 Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act remains in effect and prohibits the import of Russian petroleum products, including diesel.
Two other tankers, the Russian-flagged Talisman and the Sierra Leone-flagged Leruo, had already diverted toward Egypt and Brazil, respectively. A fourth ship, the Beast, is also in the eastern North Atlantic and headed for Brazil. While a White House official stated on Wednesday that the deal was intended to lower prices for Americans, industry expert Matt Randolph said the four tankers' combined volume of slightly more than one million barrels is too small to affect prices.
Legal concerns likely influenced the diversions. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill recently issued a letter to ports in her state, advising that accepting the Russian fuel would likely result in civil and criminal penalties under the 2022 federal ban. Despite the law, Trump told reporters he was initially unaware of the prohibition and later disparaged the measure after learning it was signed by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
The diversion ensures that immediate revenue from these specific barrels will not flow from U.S. buyers to Russian interests. The effective date of the import ban remains current, and no votes to repeal the 2022 law are currently scheduled.