The Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called “shadow fleet” tankers in order to lower oil shipping costs amid disruptions to global energy supply and record-high freight rates. Multiple outlets report that talks focus on allowing some previously sanctioned vessels to carry oil that is not itself subject to US sanctions.
The proposal comes shortly after the US lifted restrictions on Russian diesel, a decision that drew criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who says it could help finance Russia’s war against Ukraine. While outlets agree on the direction and purpose of the review—reducing shipping costs by expanding what shipments can legally move—sources vary in emphasis. One outlet frames the shift as potentially allowing “legal oil” to flow via sanctioned vessels, while another notes analysts’ doubts about whether additional capacity would be large enough to materially reduce prices.
