Russian diesel tankers reroute amid legal challenges to Trump import plan

President Donald Trump’s proposal to permit imports of Russian diesel has encountered setbacks this week, as state and federal officials warned that handling such shipments could trigger legal consequences. Two tankers that left the Baltic port of Primorsk in October had listed U.S. East Coast destinations, but maritime data from Kpler and MarineTraffic.com show one vessel now heading toward Brazil and the other into the Mediterranean. A third ship in the North Atlantic altered its destination from New York to a generic "for orders" status, leaving its unloading point uncertain.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill wrote to port and terminal operators advising them to refuse Russian diesel cargoes, stating that any effort to profit from the fuel would face "harsh penalties." She argued that the administration lacks authority to override the congressional ban on Russian energy imports enacted after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

A bipartisan group of senators has urged the president to cancel the deal, warning that it could provide a financial lifeline to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Lawmakers also cautioned banks, port authorities and fuel distributors about potential civil or criminal liability for facilitating the imports.

The Treasury Department said its Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a temporary sanctions exemption for Russian diesel transactions through April 7, consistent with prior actions and "in compliance with all applicable laws."

"Because of regulatory, sanctions concerns, we may not see this cargo discharge on the U.S. Atlantic coast," Kpler analyst Matt Smith said, adding that there is hesitancy about bringing the barrels onshore.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that details on commercial shipments are unavailable but asserted that "all the diesel will find its buyers." Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev dismissed reports of the diversions as false on the social platform X.

The administration maintains that its authorization is lawful, and no court has yet ruled on the dispute. The outcome of the proposed imports remains uncertain as the vessels continue to adjust their routes.