Russia is increasing its Arctic tanker convoy to export oil to Asia

More than a dozen tankers have already been concentrated on the Northern Sea Route, which are to deliver about 8 million barrels of crude oil.

Russia has formed a record-breaking Arctic convoy of oil tankers to export crude oil to Asia via the Northern Sea Route. This is reportedby gCaptain.

As of August 3, more than ten Suezmax, Aframax and Medium Range tankers were on the route or in the Kara Sea waters, preparing to move east. In total, they are to transport about 8 million barrels of oil – more than half of the total volume that Russia transported along this route during the entire 2025 navigation season.

The largest concentration of vessels was recorded in the Kara Sea. Presumably, the tankers are waiting for the escort of nuclear icebreakers or for the improvement of the ice conditions to pass the most difficult sections of the route.

To ensure navigation, Russia has attracted three nuclear icebreakers — Sibir, Yakutia and Ural, which operate on different sections of the Northern Sea Route.

For comparison, during the entire four-month season of 2025, about 13.1 million barrels of Russian oil were transported along this route. The current volume is already about 60% of last year’s figure, although the navigation season has only just begun.

Despite the summer melting of ice, navigation in the Arctic remains difficult. The lowest level of ice cover is traditionally observed only at the end of September, so the passage of many sections still requires icebreaking escort.

The intensification of transportation along the Northern Sea Route is associated with increased risks on traditional routes. Attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, the tense situation in the Strait of Hormuz area, as well as Ukraine’s attacks on Russian energy infrastructure are forcing Moscow to use the Arctic corridor more actively.

After the introduction of Western sanctions, Russia has redirected a significant part of its oil exports from the European market to China and India. The current concentration of tankers indicates a desire to make the most of the short summer navigation season in the Arctic before it ends.

As USM wrote, Italian military personnel recently boarded a tanker of the Russian “shadow fleet” in the Mediterranean Sea.