Temporary Relief: US Permits Limited Transactions for Russian Oil Cargoes Until April 11

The United States has issued a temporary authorization permitting certain transactions related to Russian crude oil and petroleum products that were already loaded onto vessels before March 12, 2026. The move was announced through General License 134 by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the US Department of the Treasury.

According to the document dated March 12, 2026, the license allows transactions that are “ordinarily incident and necessary” to the sale, delivery, or offloading of Russian-origin crude oil or petroleum products loaded on ships on or before the specified date. The authorization will remain valid until 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 11, 2026.

The measure provides temporary relief for companies involved in transporting and handling previously loaded Russian oil shipments that could otherwise be affected by existing sanctions regulations.

Under the license, activities such as docking, anchoring, vessel management, crewing, bunkering, insurance, registration, and environmental protection related to the transport of Russian oil are permitted, provided they are directly connected to the delivery or offloading of the cargo loaded before March 12.

Officials stated that the authorization applies to transactions covered under several sanctions frameworks, including regulations targeting Russian harmful foreign activities and sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

However, the license does not permit any new transactions involving Iranian entities, the Government of Iran, or Iranian-origin goods and services that remain restricted under existing US sanctions regulations.

The document was signed by Bradley T. Smith, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and clarifies that the authorization is limited in scope, intended primarily to allow the completion of shipments that were already underway before the latest regulatory restrictions took effect.

Analysts say the temporary measure is designed to prevent disruptions in global oil logistics and avoid legal complications for shipping companies handling cargo that had already been loaded before the deadline.

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