Graphic - U.S. shipping sanctions deal European refiners an unexpected boost

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. sanctions imposed last month on subsidiaries of vast Chinese shipping fleet Cosco have given an unexpected boost to European refiners as less crude oil from the North Sea and West Africa heads east, traders and analysts said.Freight rates have soared as oil producers scramble for non-blacklisted vessels, discouraging longer-distance voyages. Complex refining margins for advanced facilities capable of extracting even more valuable products like diesel and gasoline, have..