The amount of Russian and Iranian oil held on ships has hit multi-month highs as harsher U.S. sanctions reduced the number of buyers, leaving fewer tankers available to deliver cargoes and driving up crude costs,

Fresh US sanctions on Russia’s oil exports have yet to impact supply, the International Energy Agency said on Thursday. “Fresh US sanctions on Russia and Iran roiled markets at the start of the year but they have yet to materially impact global oil supply,

Russia is facing the threat of a reduction in oil production due to US sanctions and Ukrainian drone attacks. Source: Reuters Details: Reuters noted that the US sanctions have complicated access to tankers supplying oil to Asia,

Tightened U.S. sanctions on Moscow have disrupted a roaring trade in discounted Russian oil to China and India, reviving demand for Middle Eastern and African crudes, roiling shipping markets and driving up oil prices.

The latest US sanctions against Russia’s oil sector have led to the suspension of most Russian tankers. Source: Bloomberg Details: Currently, 94 out of 154 tankers sanctioned under the Biden administration have stopped transporting Russian oil.

The sanctions, which targeted Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegaz, and 180 shadow fleet tankers, have created a surplus of oil in Russia that cannot be exported abroad. The ports of Ust-Luga, Primorsk on the Baltic and Novorossiysk on the Black Sea have seen a 17% drop in January export deliveries,