Russian Flag Swells with “Shadow Fleet” Oil Tankers Amid Sanctions
At least 100 oil tankers have reflagged to Russia since the start of 2025, according to a report by CREA, a company that tracks vessel registrations. This surge in vessels switching flags is largely attributed to sanctions imposed on countries that had previously registered these tankers.
The majority of the tankers, 93, were already under sanctions when they changed flags. More than half of them had operated under false flags between being added to sanctions lists and their eventual switch to Russian jurisdiction. This phenomenon has been dubbed the “shadow fleet.”
Sanctions Drive Tanker Flag Switching
CREA confirmed that sanctions played a significant role in the rise of tankers switching to the Russian flag. Throughout the first half of 2025, vessels were actively being registered in the Comoros and Gambia, but the company managing their registrations was placed under European sanctions that summer. As a result, both countries reduced the number of tankers they registered, and some of those vessels switched to the Russian flag instead. Panama also cut the number of “shadow fleet” vessels in its registries by nearly two-thirds starting from May 2025.
Russia’s Reputation Compounds Concerns
The incident involving the Arctic Metagaz gas carrier (IMO: 9243148) may have further deterred third countries from registering vessels that, in practice, operate on behalf of Russia. The gas carrier was struck by a drone this spring and left drifting in the Mediterranean. The report’s authors said the incident highlighted Russia’s inability to meet its obligations to countries that allow “shadow fleet” vessels to sail under their flags, prompting those states to increasingly refuse registrations.
The growing presence of Russian-flagged tankers on the global shipping scene raises concerns about the country’s ability to circumvent international sanctions and maintain its influence in the energy market. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how this development will impact global oil supplies and the broader geopolitical landscape.
Original Article: More than 100 “shadow fleet” oil tankers have switched to the Russian flag since the start of 2025, report finds — Theins