Sanctions-hit Nayara Energy revives fuel sales to Brazil, Türkiye

(Oct 7): Indian refiner Nayara Energy Ltd — a target of European Union sanctions aimed at hobbling flows of Russian crude — has broadened efforts to sidestep the curbs by restoring sales to distant markets, including Brazil.

The Blue Ember — a long-range tanker hauling more than 60,000 tonnes of diesel from Nayara’s refinery — began discharging at Brazil’s Port of Santos last week, according to ship-tracking data. Draft readings updated on Monday indicate the cargo has been delivered, marking the refiner’s first shipment to South America since August 2022.

In Brazil, the vessel — which has also been sanctioned by the EU and the UK — discharged at the AGEO Terminal, a facility with tanks that can hold products before redistribution to end users, either via other ships or trucks. That shipment followed recent deliveries by Nayara to Türkiye, where Blage and Ocean Autumn hauled diesel to Mersin in mid-September. The deliveries were the refiner’s first to the country since July 2021.

Nayara — part-owned by Russia’s Rosneft PJSC — was hit with EU sanctions in July as the bloc stepped up efforts to restrict Moscow’s efforts to profit from sales of crude amid the war in Ukraine. While the curbs initially caused considerable disruption, the refiner has since crawled back toward normal operations, in part with an increased reliance on the so-called shadow fleet.

A spokesperson for Nayara did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Blue Ember’s manager is listed as EMT Gemi Isletmeciligi AS in Istanbul, according to the Equasis database. No contact details were available. The tanker’s owner is Blue Maritime Services & Trading, which shares the same registered address as EMT Gemi Isletmeciligi and also has no contact details.

Blage’s owner is listed as Bright Maritime Services, which shares the same address as EMT Gemi Isletmeciligi, on Equasis. The database didn’t provide any contact details for Bright Maritime. Ocean Autumn’s owner and manager are listed as Venus Gas Co Ltd, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.