Russian-flagged vessels increase 36% to 382 ships by June 2026, with over 80% of new registry entries under sanctions and mostly oil-related.
Moscow is expanding the number of ships sailing under its own flag as Western authorities intensify action against vessels used to keep Russian oil and gas exports moving. The shift points to a more direct Russian response to pressure on stateless and falsely flagged tankers tied to sanctioned energy trade.
As reported by Financial Times, citing the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, the number of ships registered under the Russian flag rises by 36% from the start of January 2025 to 382 vessels by the end of June 2026. The group says more than 80% of the vessels joining the registry since the beginning of 2025 are already under sanctions, with many of the additions consisting of oil tankers and other ocean-going export ships.
De-flagging pressure reshapes Russia’s export logistics
Pressure from U.S. and EU sanctions authorities leads several flag states to remove vessels from their registries, leaving ships stateless and vulnerable to detention. Cameroon removes more than 30 ships from its registry, a move that allows the UK to board the sanctioned tanker Smyrtos in June.
Against that backdrop, Moscow issues a presidential decree in June to make it easier for ships to register under the Russian flag, helping sanctioned tankers moving Russian oil come under domestic protection. U.S. officials report in January that a Russian submarine is present in the area when the U.S. seizes the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, and Moscow later condemns the detention as a breach of international maritime law.
Registry growth follows tighter action on shadow shipping
The increase comes as Europe and the U.S. step up enforcement against stateless vessels used in Russia’s fossil fuel trade. Maritime analyst Windward AI says authorities have detained at least 23 shadow fleet ships sailing under so-called false flags since December 2024, while the number of vessels flying such flags falls from 101 in October 2025 to 45 by the end of June 2026.
Luke Wickenden, energy analyst at CREA, says the Russian registry is becoming a refuge for sanctioned ships, with roughly nine vessels entering for every one that leaves. Ships are required to sail under a national flag and fall under that country’s maritime rules, while shadow fleet tankers often rely on opaque ownership structures and avoid Western services such as insurance.
Slowdown in Russian registry growth coincides with over 50 potentially Russian-controlled tankers registering under Equatorial Guinea’s reopened flag and securing Russian certification
Registry growth follows tighter action on shadow shipping
Original Article: Russia expands flagged tanker fleet as sanctions enforcement tightens — Tradersunion