Russia wants oil products to move through Russian terminals
Transport Minister Igor Levitin was quoted on Monday as saying Russia aimed to export all its refined products through its own terminals.
He said new Russian ports near St Petersburg had increased capacity, making it unprofitable to ship product via Estonia.
Russian oil firms have been shipping around 25 million metric tonnes (mt) of refined products a year via Estonia.
Much of the product has been fuel oil heading for the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (ARA) regional fuel oil hub.
But volumes from Estonian terminals have falling this year since political disputes between Russia and Estonia sharpened.
Russian industry and trade sources said last week that Russian state railways had ordered exporters to halve shipments of fuel oil products via Estonian terminals.
Levitin said Russia would continue shipments of some cargoes via neighbouring states but considered refined products a strategic material, which should be shipped only through Russian ports.
He said new Russian ports near St Petersburg had increased capacity, making it unprofitable to ship product via Estonia.
Russian oil firms have been shipping around 25 million metric tonnes (mt) of refined products a year via Estonia.
Much of the product has been fuel oil heading for the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (ARA) regional fuel oil hub.
But volumes from Estonian terminals have falling this year since political disputes between Russia and Estonia sharpened.
Russian industry and trade sources said last week that Russian state railways had ordered exporters to halve shipments of fuel oil products via Estonian terminals.
Levitin said Russia would continue shipments of some cargoes via neighbouring states but considered refined products a strategic material, which should be shipped only through Russian ports.