From the beginning of 2025 to the end of June 2026, Russia added 107 vessels to its ship registry, according to a report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The Russian registry grew by 36% over this period, from 280 to 382 vessels. Of the 107 new vessels, 72 were transporting Russian fossil fuels to global markets. As of the end of June, they had delivered €7.5 billion worth of such fuels.
Shadow Fleet Vessels Flock to Russia’s Flag
The report notes that the shadow fleet vessels previously mostly used open ship registers. However, due to sanctions pressure from the EU, the UK and the US, some countries began to refuse to register such vessels. After that, some of them began to use false flags, and are now increasingly switching to the Russian flag. According to CREA, 56% of vessels that joined the Russian register after January 2025 sailed under a false flag at least once between being sanctioned and being registered in Russia.
Decline of False Flag Use
The number of shadow fleet vessels operating false flags is decreasing, from 101 in October 2025 to 45 at the end of June 2026. This trend suggests that countries are becoming more vigilant in their efforts to track and sanction these vessels.
Russian Register Replenishment Slows Down
At the same time, the pace of replenishment of the Russian register has already slowed down — if in December 2025, 25 vessels were added to it, then in June 2026, only three. This slowdown may be a sign that Russia‘s efforts to attract more shadow fleet vessels are facing resistance from other countries.
Arctic Metagaz Incident Highlights Risks
Separately, the report mentions the Russian LNG tanker “Arctic Metagaz”. In March 2026, an explosion occurred on it, after which the ship drifted uncontrolled in the Mediterranean Sea for more than a month. On board were almost 60 000 tons of Russian liquefied natural gas. Russia did not conduct a rescue operation, so Libya, Malta and Italy dealt with the consequences of the incident. The authors note that under international maritime law, the country whose flag a vessel flies must exercise effective control over it. They believe the “Arctic Metagaz” case highlights the risks posed by older, shadowy fleet vessels, particularly when they are left without proper insurance and control.
The report’s findings underscore the need for continued vigilance in tracking and sanctioning shadow fleet vessels to prevent them from circumventing international sanctions and posing a risk to global energy markets.
Original Article: Study: Russia transferred 107 shadow fleet vessels to its flag due to sanctions pressure — Babel