Freight costs for Russian crude rise for a fourth month, Kommersant reports

Shipping Russian crude has become more expensive for a fourth consecutive month because of a global shortage of tankers linked partly to the Middle East conflict, Kommersant reports. Citing analysts, the newspaper says freight from Russia's western ports to India has risen by about $8 a barrel in recent months, while rates from Kozmino to China have barely moved. According to Kommersant, Urals delivered to India's west coast sold at a premium of about $3.7 to Brent in September, against a discount in August, which helps exporters absorb part of the cost. One analyst quoted by the paper expects freight to keep rising until year-end, as shipping safety, especially in the Black Sea, is unlikely to improve.

This is a summary in our own words of the linked reporting. Allegations are those of the source. How we report.