It seems quite sensible that a parallel shipping economy would be created. Nations still need the oil. Just because Europe would rather shrivel up and blow away, while becoming ever more dependent on the US and it’s costly LNG. Opting to take their own people down in the process, doesn’t mean other nations are as foolish.
First an oped from Maritime Executive;
The sanctions on Russia have transformed crude oil and refined product flows.
Before the war, the vast majority of Russian seaborne crude went directly to European Union ports.Today, that flow has essentially dropped to zero, rerouting heavily toward Asia. China and India, who are not sanctioning Russia, now consume more than 80% of Russia's seaborne crude oil exports.This has led to a massive boost in long-haul Suezmax and Aframax employment. One would typically use VLCCs for these long-haul trips to Asia, but Russia does not have access to VLCC-capable export terminals. This has transformed Russia’s oil flows from using regional pipelines and short-haul voyages to long-haul trips on medium-sized, suboptimal tonnage.The introduction and enforcement of price caps and trade bans has reshaped fleet ownership, vessel values, and maritime safety standards globally. The sanctions against Russia have also fractured the global oil tanker industry, splitting the maritime shipping world into two distinct, parallel markets: the regulated “mainstream” market and a booming, opaque “shadow” market.
Surviving The Sanctions
Despite the sanctions, Russian crude oil exports have largely been maintained. As a matter of fact, they have been rising in 2026 to date.
Russian crude oil exports are rising! Read the rest at the above link.
Finally;
Turkish cargo ship hit in suspected Ukrainian attack near Russian port (VIDEOS)
The captain said the Nadezhda, which reportedly carried fruit and vegetables, was struck by Kiev’s drones
A Turkish-operated cargo ship was hit in an apparent Ukrainian drone attack off the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk late on Monday.
The Nadezhda had a crew of 22, including 13 Turkish citizens, according to the DGM. Turkish media reported that the vessel was operated by Samsun-based Kalyoncu Shipping and had been carrying fruit and vegetables from Türkiye to Russia.
Lavrov had mentioned this was already happening and I’d covered it in this previous post
Russia hopes Türkiye will send a strong signal to Ukraine following attacks on Turkish vessels in the Black Sea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, APA’s Moscow bureau reports.