US considers easing sanctions on shadow fleet vessels to cut freight rates

The Trump administration is considering easing sanctions on so-called shadow fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and Venezuela, in an effort to reduce record-high global freight rates, a US official said on Wednesday.The discussions are happening days after President Donald Trump temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian diesel fuel, a move met with a torrent of criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, European countries and some of Trump's fellow Republicans in the US Senate.Both Zelenskiy and the US senators called that move a gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin that would provide Russia with revenue to keep funding its war in Ukraine.The new talks center on the United States potentially allowing "legal oil" to flow on previously sanctioned vessels, the US official said.