MarineLink Maritime News reported on 4 November 2026 that only one of three Russian tankers previously tracked as bound for the United States now appears to remain on course for the Atlantic coast.

Two of the three vessels no longer seem to be heading directly toward the U.S. east coast, while the third continues to show a trajectory consistent with an Atlantic-bound passage. The report stresses the present picture is provisional and based on the most recent tracking information available to the news outlet.

The movements follow the issuance on 9 October of General License 135, which temporarily allows Russian diesel to be imported into the United States. The licence’s temporary status is central to understanding why a small number of tankers have been highlighted in recent maritime reporting.

Regulatory backdrop

General License 135 was cited by MarineLink as the authorisation that has opened a short window for imports of Russian diesel to U.S. markets. That temporary authorisation, issued in early October, is the regulatory development directly referenced in the reporting and is the stated reason for the heightened attention to the three tankers.

The licence’s existence does not itself determine the final destination of any particular vessel, but it does create a commercial and legal environment in which the prospect of deliveries to the United States becomes possible where it would otherwise be restricted. The MarineLink account confines itself to reporting observed vessel courses and the timing of the licence.

Movements at sea

MarineLink’s November 4 item noted that one tanker still appears to be transiting toward the Atlantic coast, while the other two are no longer clearly on that track. The report does not print vessel names, ports of call or cargo manifests, and it treats the status of the voyages as subject to change.

The narrow set of verified facts in the report is limited to the number of tankers under observation, the apparent change in course for two of them and the continuing apparent transit of a single vessel. The story links those movements to the October 9 licence but does not assert that deliveries have taken place.

Taken together, the report signals a fluid situation: a temporary regulatory allowance and a small number of vessels whose destinies have not been fixed in public records. MarineLink’s coverage on 4 November supplies the latest public confirmation that, at the time of reporting, only one of the three tracked tankers remained apparently en route for the Atlantic coast of the United States.

Key facts

  • Source: MarineLink Maritime News, 4 November 2026.
  • Vessels: three Russian tankers were reported as sailing to the United States; one remains apparently on course.
  • Regulatory note: General License 135, issued 9 October 2026, temporarily allows Russian diesel imports to the United States.

The MarineLink report presents a snapshot rather than a definitive account of cargo movements. Observers seeking firm confirmation of cargo deliveries, vessel names or final ports must await additional reporting or official filings, as the published note limits itself to the observable course of the ships and the existence of the temporary licence.