Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ of Tankers Reportedly Navigates Danish Waters Almost Daily in 2025
Tankers from Russia‘s “shadow fleet” circumventing European sanctions navigated through Denmark’s waters at a rate of almost one a day in 2025, data compiled by the Danish Maritime Authority showed on Wednesday. The authority reported that there were 292 voyages with EU sanction-designated tankers in Danish waters.
The “shadow fleet” is a flotilla of old oil tankers of opaque ownership reportedly built up by Russia to get around sanctions imposed by the European Union, as well as the United States and the G7 group of nations, over Moscow’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions aim to limit Moscow’s revenues used to pursue its war.
Danish Authorities Monitor Ships in Waters
The size and movements of the “shadow fleet” have been hard to pin down, but thanks to the EU sanctions list, Danish authorities were able to monitor and register the ships turning up in its waters last year. The EU lists 598 vessels that are banned from European ports and maritime services.
Denmark’s Maritime Authority stated that it is closely monitoring ships in Danish waters and cooperates closely with like-minded countries in the Baltic Sea region. In addition, a number of concrete measures have been taken to strengthen maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment and seafarers.
Concerns Over Risk of Oil Spill
The ageing and poorly-maintained “shadow fleet” tankers mainly transport crude oil as well as refined products such as gasoline and diesel. This raises concerns about the risk of an oil spill, which could have devastating environmental consequences.
Suspicions of Sabotage
Some experts and political leaders also suspect the vessels of carrying out sabotage, as part of a “hybrid war” by Russia against Western countries.
Original Article: Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ of tankers reported in Danish waters almost daily in 2025, Denmark says — Inkl