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According to a lobby group, uncertainty over tariffs has halted oil shipments from Brazil into the US.

Roberto Ardenghy of the oil lobby group IBP told reporters on Wednesday that energy companies in Brazil have suspended oil exports to the United States following President Donald Trump's announcement of 50% tariffs against Brazil.

The U.S. is Brazil's largest export market. Oil was exempted from the 10% tariff on Brazilian exports in April, but it remains unclear if the commodity will be exempted under the new tariff of 50% that is set to take effect on Friday.

Ardenghy said, "This time there is no way to know." IBP represents Brazilian oil companies such as Petrobras, Shell, TotalEnergies ExxonMobil, Equinor, and TotalEnergies.

Ardenghy stated that "business involving cargo which has to leave Brazil and go to the U.S.A. is suspended."

Ardenghy stated that instead of shipping oil to the United States companies store it on production vessels floating or cargo ships.

He said that because it takes about 21 days for an oil shipment from Brazil to reach the U.S., it was stopped when it became impossible to get to their destination by August 1.

He said that if there was no exemption, Brazil would likely redirect shipments towards Europe and India.

He added, "But for now, all is on hold as we wait for the 1st of August."

According to data collected by StoneX, the consultancy group, government data shows that Brazil will export 1.78 million barrels of oil per day in 2024. Of this, 243,000 barrels of oil per day are going to the United States.

Petrobras, Brazil’s state-owned oil company and the country’s top oil producer and supplier, said that it had exported 8% of the oil in its second quarter.

Magda Chambriard, Petrobras' Chief Executive, said earlier this month that the company could redirect oil sold to the U.S. to Asia and Pacific if higher U.S. Tariffs on Brazil are implemented. (Reporting and writing by Marta Nogueira, editing by Leslie Adler).

(source: Reuters)