The first Russian diesel shipment bound for the United States under a recent agreement between Moscow and US President Donald Trump is aboard a tanker heading to New York, per ship-tracking data on Friday.

Trump announced the deal this month to ease rising diesel prices ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections. He also waived parts of a new US sanctions law against Russia and threatened to ban diesel exports to Europe unless countries released more fuel from their emergency reserves.

According to LSEG shipping data, the Malta-flagged tanker Agioi Fanendes loaded 40,000 metric tons of ultra-low sulphur diesel at Russia’s Baltic port of Primorsk on October 22. It is expected to reach the United States on November 7. The buyer and seller remain unidentified.

The shipment would mark the first US import of Russian oil or petroleum products since former President Joe Biden imposed a ban in 2022.

On October 9, Trump announced that Russia would immediately export 300,000 metric tons, or 2.25 million barrels, of diesel to the US and global markets. He said shipments would rise to 500,000 tons in November, followed by 1 million tons "immediately thereafter".

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Friday that the first tanker under the agreement had departed. However, he did not specify its destination.

"As far as I'm aware, there have already ‌been ⁠reports from the Ministry of Energy that the first tanker has, in fact, set sail for its recipients, its buyers. Further shipments will continue at a steady pace from here on," Peskov said during a daily conference call.

The agreement involves Russia lifting its self-imposed ban on diesel exports.

Since the European Union imposed a complete ban on Russian oil product imports in February 2023 over the war in Ukraine, Russia has mainly exported diesel to Turkey, Brazil and African countries. It also supplies Central Asia by rail.

Shipping data from LSEG and Kpler published this week showed Russian diesel shipments returning to traditional markets after Moscow lifted its export restrictions. At least two tankers signalled voyages to Turkey and Brazil. The destinations of other shipments remain unclear, with vessels loaded at Primorsk indicating routes towards Gibraltar, the Atlantic Coast or Port Said.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said further US shipments would follow as companies from both countries finalise contracts.

Kirill Dmitriev, a Kremlin envoy who heads Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, said last week that the US Treasury had asked the fund to help resolve payment issues linked to the deal.

Novak also said Russia could restore diesel exports to their usual levels of 3 million to 3.5 million tons per month by the end of the year.