Shadow Fleet Vessel Detained in Odesa
The Security Service of Ukraine has served a notice of suspicion to the captain of a ship belonging to the shadow fleet of the Russian Federation, which was detained in Odesa in December 2025. The vessel was caught trying to leave the port city with a batch of steel pipes flying the flag of an African country.
According to the SBU press service, the investigation revealed that the captain had previously entered the seaport in the temporarily occupied Kerch on a sanctioned tanker at the end of 2024. At that time, 2,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas were loaded onto the vessel, intended for export to third countries.
Illegal Grain Transportation and Sanctions Evasion
Prior to that, in January 2021, the bulk carrier illegally transported almost 7,000 tons of grain from Crimea to North Africa. To circumvent sanctions during the transportation of goods, the suspect constantly changed the flags under which he was flying the vessel and turned off the automatic identification system (AIS).
Crew and Vessel Details
It was established that the captain of the shadow tanker is a citizen of a Middle Eastern country. At the time of the vessel’s detention in Odesa, there were 16 other crew members on board, all citizens of the Middle East region. Searches on the vessel revealed voyage plans, pilotage cards, cartographic materials and radio communication logs with evidence of illegal entry into the ports of the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Legal Consequences
If proven guilty, the captain faces imprisonment for a term of three to five years with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.
Original Article: Odesa serves notice of suspicion to captain of shadow fleet vessel — Intent