Sanctioned Tanker Carrying Russian Crude Set to Reach Ehime Port

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A tanker carrying Russian crude oil is expected to arrive at Kikuma Port in Ehime Prefecture on May 2. Amid disruptions in Middle Eastern crude procurement, this is expected to be the first import of Russian crude since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessel, Voyager, is under sanctions from multiple jurisdictions including the United States and the European Union. However, the crude it is carrying is believed to come from the Sakhalin 2 oil and gas project in Russia's Far East, which is exempt from Western sanctions.

The oil is expected to be delivered to facilities operated by Taiyo Oil near the port. The company previously received a shipment via the same vessel in June last year.

*LNG plant for the Sakhalin 2 project in Prigorodnoye, southern Sakhalin, February 2009.*

METI Request Behind Shipment

A spokesperson for Taiyo Oil said the shipment was made following a request from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The company said it understood the cargo was not subject to sanctions and noted it had suspended imports of Russian crude after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, resuming only under government instruction.

*Satellite image of Taiyo Oil's petroleum facility in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. (©Google Earth)*

An official from METI's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy said that, amid growing tensions in the Middle East, even limited volumes of Russian crude would contribute to Japan's energy stability. The official added that Japan had consulted with the United States and confirmed that imports linked to Sakhalin 2 do not present a sanctions risk.

According to vessel-tracking data, the Voyager left Prigorodnoye in Sakhalin on April 24, passed through the Sea of Japan, and travelled through waters off southern Japan before approaching the Osumi Strait near Kagoshima as of May 1. It is scheduled to arrive at Kikuma Port on the evening of May 2.

*Sanctions against the tanker "Voyager" on Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence "War & Sanctions" website.*

Energy Security Amid Middle East Tensions

The Oman-flagged tanker was built in 2019 and was designated a sanctions target by the US Treasury in January 2025 in connection with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It was later added to EU sanctions lists.

Japan continues to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Sakhalin 2. Because oil and gas fields often produce crude oil alongside natural gas, crude oil is also being shipped as a byproduct of the project.

An official from the energy agency said that if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues, any decision on resuming imports of Russian crude oil outside Sakhalin 2 would be made "based on national interest and a comprehensive assessment."