At least 65 more tankers have halted their journeys around the world after the US sanctioned 183 vessels over Russian trading on January 10.

Ship tracking data analyzed by Reuters showed dozens of ships dropping anchor, including many off the coasts of China and Russia.

Media reports say that according to according to Reuters' analysis based on MarineTraffic and LSEG ship tracking data, five of those tankers were stationary off Chinese ports and a further seven dropped anchor off Singapore, with others halting near Russia in the Baltic Sea and the Far East.

The US Treasury on Friday imposed sanctions on Russian oil producers Gazprom Neft SIBN.MM and Surgutneftegaz, as well as on 183 vessels that have shipped Russian oil, as it targets the revenues Moscow has used to fund its war with Ukraine

The halt in trading for these tankers adds to further pressure on vessels already hit by previous US sanctions.

Reuters says ship tracking analysis showed on Monday that these include another 25 oil tankers that were stationary around various locations, including off Iranian ports and also near to the Suez Canal,.

Experts estimate 10% of global tankers now affected by sanctions

Currently, 10% of the world’s tanker fleet is under sanctions, according to expert assessments. The halt in trade involving these tankers is intensifying pressure on vessels already impacted by previous U.S. sanctions.  

India and China have announced that they will refuse to unload U.S.-sanctioned tankers, according to a Bloomberg report. An exception will be made for vessels chartered before January 10, provided they complete unloading by March 12.

An Indian official stated that banks in India will require certificates of origin to ensure that the oil does not come from sanctioned suppliers. However, he emphasized that Russia "will find a way" to continue supplying oil to India.

In China, at least three Russian oil tankers under U.S. sanctions have been denied entry to ports and are currently drifting at sea.

India and China seek alternative suppliers

Indian and Chinese oil refiners are actively searching for new suppliers, particularly in the Middle East.  Indian refiners, for instance, are negotiating long-term contracts with Middle Eastern suppliers and may request additional volumes depending on the situation.  However, Indian companies may lose the discounts they previously enjoyed when purchasing Russian oil if supplies are reduced.

Russia’s response to sanctions

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that supply routes “cannot simply be severed.”  He explained that when one route is blocked, alternative pathways emerge.  Peskov affirmed that Russia would seek ways to minimize the impact of sanctions.