Diffs unchanged as high freight weighs

North Sea crude oil differentials were unchanged on Friday as high freight rates continued to weigh on demand.

* Aframax rates for North Sea and Baltic voyages have remained strong while others have edged down from historic high. Aframax is the main vessel used to move oil from the North Sea to the rest of Europe as they carry the standard cargo size of 600,000 barrels. (RL-BLTUKC-NICE)

* Russian oil buyers in Asia are now competing for these same vessels that now run month-long voyages to the east versus a few days previously, which has created particular tanker tightness in the Atlantic Basin.

* Poland has agreed to the European Union's deal for a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian seaborne oil, allowing the EU to move forward with formally approving the deal over the weekend, Poland's Ambassador to the EU Andrzej Sados said on Friday.

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