A shipment of US crude oil arrived in Greece for the first time in around four years, as ongoing conflict in the Middle East and disrupted shipping routes reshape global energy trade flows.
According to Reuters, ship tracking data from Kpler shows a cargo of WTI Midland crude — a key US light sweet crude — was delivered to Greece after loading in Houston.
The tanker Eagle Helsinki, sailing under the Isle of Man flag, carried approximately 700,000 barrels from the Seabrook Logistics terminal before anchoring near Agio Theodoroi, close to the refinery operated by Motor Oil in Corinth.
The Corinth facility is the country’s second-largest refinery and accounts for more than a third of Greece’s refining capacity.
According to maritime analytics firm Signal Ocean, the vessel had initially been bound for Rotterdam before altering course mid-Atlantic toward Gibraltar and ultimately Greece, underscoring shifting trade dynamics.
Refiners in the region have traditionally relied heavily on Middle Eastern supply, particularly Iraqi crude from Basrah. However, the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, along with reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, has disrupted supply chains and curtailed output, prompting buyers to seek alternative sources.