Ice hinders Varandey exports

摘要

Seaborne crude exports from Russia outside the Transneft pipeline system dropped by 9.3pc on the month to 665,700 b/d (2.76mn t) in May, with loadings of all grades falling. Exports of Varandey Blend from foating storage in Kola bay were 16pc lower at 116,500 b/d (482,000t) last month. Supply from Lukoil’s far north Varandey terminal was hampered from late May by a build-up of broken ice at the entrance to the terminal, which complicated navigation. Only four full Varandey Blend cargoes were loaded from the Kola foating storage tanker last month, compared with fve in April. A ffth vessel - the 115,000t Minerva Antarctica - loaded 30,000t and was then topped up near Kolguev island.