Albanian Authorities Block Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker From Entering Durres Port
Albanian authorities stopped an oil tanker from entering the Port of Durres on August 29 after Ukrainian military intelligence identified it as part of Russia’s shadow fleet. The tanker, named HANUMAN and flagged in Sierra Leone, has been tracked by Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) for some time.
According to GUR, HANUMAN has carried about 452,000 tonnes of Russian fuel since the start of 2025. Most of the tanker’s voyages started at Novorossiysk and then travelled to Turkey, Senegal, and the UAE. The vessel was also reported at a transshipment area near Augusta, Italy.
GUR Welcomes Albania’s Decision as Sign of International Cooperation
GUR welcomed Albania’s decision as a sign of international cooperation against Russia’s sanctions evasion. Ukraine’s military intelligence said Russia’s shadow fleet uses risky and deceptive methods to bypass sanctions and make money from oil sales. It also warned that these vessels can pose risks to ships and the environment.
The logistics for HANUMAN’s voyages were handled by Altoprae Marine, a Russian company based in Novorossiysk, according to GUR. The Ukrainian agency said the company was founded and is managed by a senior manager from the orbit of sanctioned Russian oligarch Gennadiy Timchenko, whom it described as a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Altoprae Marine Linked to Sanctioned Vessels
GUR also said the company Altoprae Marine is known for regularly maintaining tankers that are part of the Russian shadow fleet. One of the vessels linked to the company is EVENTIN, which is under sanctions from the European Union, Switzerland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ukraine.
Another vessel linked to Altoprae Marine is CORDELIA MOON, now named WALRUS. It is under sanctions from the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, and Ukraine. The agency said both vessels have been involved in incidents that threatened environmental safety.
International Cooperation Against Russia’s Sanctions Evasion
GUR also said Altoprae Marine is involved in the operations of vessels belonging to Rosewood Shipping, which it said is linked to Oksana Marchenko, the wife of Viktor Medvedchuk. The tanker HANUMAN had previously called at the Port of Durres in November 2025.
A BIRN investigation published in May 2026 identified the tanker among vessels suspected of carrying Russian oil or stolen Ukrainian grain that had called at Albanian ports since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Albania is a NATO member and an EU candidate country, having followed EU sanctions against Russia since February 2022.
Original Article: Albania Blocks Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker From Entering Durres Port — Marineinsight