Freight rates for shipments of Russia’s Urals crude from western export ports to India increased sharply in August, driven by limited tanker availability and rising security concerns, according to three trade sources.

The higher transport costs are adding pressure on Russian oil exporters already operating amid Western sanctions and geopolitical uncertainty. Freight markets have also received support from disruptions to international shipping routes caused by conflict in the Middle East, while risks have increased for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The cost of booking a Suezmax tanker to carry approximately 140,000 metric tons of crude from Novorossiysk in the Russian Black Sea to India has climbed to almost $20 million. That compares with about $13 million in the previous month and represents the highest level recorded in years, the sources said.

Shipowners are seeking higher compensation for voyages involving Russian Black Sea ports as intensified drone attacks have disrupted port activity and damaged vessels. Despite the earnings available, some owners remain reluctant to accept the voyages because of concerns over vessel and crew safety.

Russian western-port oil shipments fell to around 2.3 million barrels per day during the first half of August, approximately 15% below the original loading programme. The decline was attributed to disruptions at Novorossiysk, where loading operations have faced repeated interruptions in recent months.

The situation has prompted exporters and traders to examine alternative shipping arrangements. Demand for tankers at Russia’s Baltic ports has strengthened as market participants seek to redirect some cargoes away from Novorossiysk. The shift has further reduced available vessel supply and contributed to higher rates on Baltic export routes.

Freight for an Aframax shipment of roughly 100,000 metric tons from Primorsk to India has risen to an average of about $13 million, according to the sources. The same voyage cost approximately $8 million in early July.

India continues to serve as a major destination for Russian seaborne crude, taking a substantial portion of the volumes redirected from Europe after sanctions and embargoes altered global oil trade patterns following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine.

The rate increases across both Black Sea and Baltic routes reflect a combination of strong tanker demand, constrained vessel availability and owners’ heightened assessment of security exposure. These factors are raising the cost of maintaining Russian crude flows to their principal Asian market.