Distress Signal Sent by Oil Tanker from Russia’s “Shadow Fleet” in North Atlantic
Amidst harsh weather conditions and surrounding sanctions, the incident involving the Myra oil tanker, suspected to belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” in the North Atlantic has attracted international attention. Last weekend, this oil product carrier (formerly named Aristos and Summit Europe, IMO number: 9336490) unexpectedly sent out a distress signal in the waters off Western Ireland. According to data from the SeaNews maritime monitoring project, a distress signal was transmitted via the Inmarsat-C satellite system at 12:38 UTC (19:38 Hanoi time) on October 24th. At that time, the ship was located at coordinates 56°18′ North latitude, 15°25′ West longitude.
The UK Coast Guard (HMCG) has asked nearby vessels to contact authorities if they can provide assistance. According to SeaNews , the ship continued to move at a speed of approximately 9 knots (equivalent to 17 km/h), despite harsh weather conditions, with waves reaching 8.8 meters high and wind gusts of 70 knots (approximately 130 km/h, equivalent to about 80 miles/h).
Ship’s Route and Weather Conditions
The Insider analyzed the Myra’s route and weather conditions in the area using the Starboard Maritime Intelligence ship tracking system. The incident involving the oil tanker Myra, suspected to belong to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” in the North Atlantic has attracted international attention.
The Myra is 228 meters long, built in 2006, has a deadweight tonnage of 74,999 DWT and a gross tonnage of 41,021. The registered owner is Fleet Armada Pvt Ltd. According to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS), the ship’s flag was marked “Cameroon False,” suggesting a suspected fraudulent use of the Cameroonian flag. Ukrainian military intelligence noted that the ship’s current flag was unknown.
Sanctions and Previous Activity
According to the War & Sanctions database of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency (HUR), the Myra vessel was used to export Russian oil and oil products to third countries at a time when G7 and EU oil sanctions, as well as price caps on Russian oil, were in effect. This ship is currently subject to sanctions from six jurisdictions: the US (July 30, 2025), the EU (October 24, 2025), Switzerland and Ukraine (December 13, 2025), the UK (February 24, 2026), and Canada (March 25, 2026).
According to Starboard Maritime Intelligence , the ship departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, sailed through the North Sea, circled the northern tip of the United Kingdom , and entered the Atlantic Ocean without passing through the English Channel. It is unclear whether this route is an attempt to avoid surveillance from European countries. Many oil tankers belonging to the “shadow fleet” also frequently use similar routes.
According to tracking data, the ship is heading towards the port of Port Said (Egypt). Myra has previously made several calls to the Russian ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk, as well as ports in Turkey, Brazil , Senegal, Estonia, and Denmark. Ukrainian intelligence also noted instances where the ship switched off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) to conceal its route.
Links to Iran’s Energy Sector
Ukrainian military intelligence linked Myra to the transport network of Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani – the son of Ali Shamkhani, former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader. HUR stated that Fractal Marine DMCC (registered in the UAE) was one of the three largest international operators specializing in transporting Russian oil and oil products in early 2023. The UK sanctioned Fractal Marine DMCC in February 2024 for its activities in the Russian energy sector. Following the sanctions, the management of the vessels was transferred to other affiliated entities.
Myra is believed to be part of a network controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, which includes numerous oil tankers, operators, and shell companies used to transport Russian and Iranian oil. The companies involved are listed
Original Article: Oil tanker from the “dark fleet” sends distress signal in the North Atlantic. — Vietnam