Inside Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’: How Hundreds of Secretive Tankers Keep Oil Flowing Into Putin’s War Machine

The Baltic Sea states are calling for new rules on shipping in order to be able to work together more strongly against Russia's shadow fleet.

Inside Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’: How hundreds of secretive tankers keep oil flowing into Putin’s war machine

MOSCOW, May 16 — Western sanctions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine and aimed at cutting its oil revenues have led to the rise of a vast “shadow fleet” of tankers helping Moscow keep its crude exports flowing. Here are some key points about these unregulated vessels. Why is this fleet in the news? Estonia on Tuesday tried to stop an oil tanker, which the UK sanctioned last week, for sailing without a flag against maritime rules, in interna…

The Russian shadow fleet has gained a sinister sister. While the shadow fleet sails under flags of convenience, the ships of this sister fleet sail without a registered home country.

The European Union has already imposed sanctions on hundreds of ships.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide participated in the annual ministerial meeting of the Baltic Sea Council on 15 and 16 May. Russia's war against Ukraine and security in the Baltic Sea are among the most important topics of discussion.