The changes are aimed at strengthening the certification and record-keeping processes for certain oil transportation service providers

The United States is moving to a new stage of toughening sanctions against Russian oil revenues aimed at preventing the circumvention of the price ceiling on the sea transportation of oil from Russia and strengthening control over such actions. 

This was reported by the US Treasury Department's

 The Office of Foreign Assets Control, together with partners from other countries, has amended the rules for compliance with sanctions against Russian oil. These changes are aimed at strengthening the certification and record-keeping processes for specific oil transportation service providers. 

Additionally, sanctions were imposed on the ship-owning company SUN Ship Management, registered in the United Arab Emirates and owned by the sanctioned Russian state-owned fleet operator Sovcomflot. 

Three underground traders of Russian oil, who helped Moscow evade the price ceiling through Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, were also subject to restrictions. 

The sanctions imposed in December 2022 set the maximum price for Russian oil exports by sea at $60 per barrel and banned Western companies from providing oil transportation services from Russia at a price higher than the ceiling. These restrictions led Russia to redirect oil sales to more distant countries such as China and India and to invest in "shadow fleets" of worn-out tankers that are not officially registered.