India delays unloading of Russian oil due to insurance check on sanctioned tanker

A sanctioned vessel was prevented from entering the port of Paradip, India, due to a delay in online confirmation of the policy from a Russian insurer.

The unloading of Russian oil for state-owned Indian Oil Corp was delayed at a port in eastern India due to problems with checking the vessel’s insurance coverage, Reuters reported, citing three sources familiar with the incident.

The tanker, the Aframax Tiger 6, is under EU and UK sanctions. It was due to unload ESPO crude on November 23, but LSEG said the vessel remained in the approaches to the port of Paradip in the Bay of Bengal on the afternoon of November 27. Two of the people said the vessel was already in the process of mooring.

The sources said the delay was due to online confirmation of insurance coverage provided by Russian company Soglasie Insurance Co Ltd. The insurer denied any involvement in covering the vessel’s risks.

India has tightened rules on ships calling at its ports this year, targeting older tankers and the so-called “shadow fleet” that is heavily used to transport Russian oil. Since April, the country has required online P&I insurance checks for ships insured outside the International Group (IG) pool to prevent the use of forged documents.

Many of the ships in the sanctioned fleet are insured with companies outside the IG. According to sources, coverage for the Tiger 6 was taken out with a Russian company, although the cargo was supplied by an unauthorized trader.

India officially recognizes P&I policies from 19 insurers outside the International Group, including eight Russian ones, allowing the country to continue importing cheaper Russian oil despite international restrictions.

Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svirydenko said that sanctions against the Russian shadow fleet should apply to captains and insurers.