Oil exports from Russia's western ports drop 15% below plan, traders say

Russia’s oil exports from its western ports fell to about 2.3 million barrels per day in the first half of August, roughly 15% below the planned loading pace, as disruptions at Novorossiysk slowed shipments. The article highlights growing operational pressure on Moscow’s export system as Ukraine continues targeting Russian energy infrastructure. Novorossiysk loadings for Russian Urals and Kazakh KEBCO crude were sharply lower, with export cargoes running more than two weeks behind schedule. The supply setback could tighten seaborne Russian crude availability and add support to global oil prices if disruptions persist, especially since western ports were initially expected to ship about 2.7 million barrels per day this month. Russia has also rerouted some Kazakh crude to Novorossiysk to free Baltic capacity, underscoring the fragility of regional oil logistics amid wartime risks.