Russian crude oil arrives in Japan for unloading
According to a May 6 report by Sankei News: On the 5th, the oil tanker "Voyager," carrying Russian crude oil, docked at Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture to begin unloading. This marks the first import of Russian crude oil following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The "Voyager" arrived off the coast of Imabari City on the 4th, but unloading operations were postponed due to strong winds.
The imported crude oil originates from the Sakhalin-2 project. The importer is the Sun Oil Shikoku plant, headquartered in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, which ranks fourth in Japan for petroleum distribution volume.
On the 5th, the mooring operation with tugboats began around 10:30 a.m., with docking completed at noon. Unloading started approximately at 1:30 p.m., and the vessel is scheduled to complete unloading and depart by the 6th.
A spokesperson for Sun Oil explained: "We received instructions from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Directorate-General for Natural Resources and Energy last year to accept Russian crude oil. We will fulfill our social responsibility to ensure stable supply of petroleum products, and will diversify our procurement sources—including nearby national oil reserves and non-Middle Eastern crude oil from the United States."
Regarding the purchase amount, he said: "I cannot comment on matters related to contracts."
Following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russian energy has faced sanctions from Japan, the United States, and Europe. However, Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsui & Co. continue to retain stakes in the Sakhalin-2 project. Japan continues to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Sakhalin-2. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Directorate-General for Natural Resources and Energy has classified crude oil imports under "joint production with Russia" as essential, having imported about 600,000 barrels of Russian crude oil in June of last year.
The Voyager is an oil tanker flying the flag of Oman, measuring approximately 250 meters in length. In January 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Russia as a target of sanctions due to "Russia’s invasion of Ukraine," followed by similar actions from the European Union and other countries.
According to the maritime tracking website MarineTraffic, the Voyager departed from Prigorodnoye Port on Sakhalin Island on April 24. It arrived near the Kikuma Port in Imabari City around 3:20 a.m. on the 4th and docked at Sun Oil’s terminal shortly after noon on the 5th.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1864395204880394/
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