US Seizure of Oil Tankers: The Shadow Fleet that Transports Sanctioned Oil, and How it Operates
The US has signalled an intensified crackdown on “shadow fleet” tankers — those that use deceptive shipping practices to move sanctioned oil and other commodities across seas. On Wednesday, the US seized two oil tankers — Marinera and Sophia — for their purported involvement in the transportation of crude oil sanctioned by Washington. Both tankers, claimed to be part of the so-called shadow fleet of vessels, had been sanctioned by the US earlier.
The seizure of these tankers is an extreme step and has evoked strong responses from countries like Russia and China. However, the Donald Trump administration in Washington has said that it will continue to seize sanctioned oil tankers.
Shadow Fleet: A Backbone of Sanctioned Oil Transportation
Shadow fleet vessels have been the backbone of the transportation of oil and petroleum products from countries like Iran, Venezuela, and Russia, which are under various degrees of sanctions imposed by the Western powers, primarily the US. According to various estimates, the shadow fleet comprises over 3,000 vessels.
Dark and Grey Shadows: Categories within the Larger Shadow Fleet Ecosystem
Within the larger shadow fleet ecosystem are two broad categories of vessels — dark and grey fleet — as per maritime intelligence provider Windward, even as these terms are often used interchangeably. The dark fleet represents the highest-risk, non-cooperative core, while the grey fleet is a newer, behaviour-based category that emerged after the Russia-Ukraine war.
Tell-Tale Signs of Shadow Fleet Operations
A large number of shadow fleet tankers have complex and obscure ownership structures and are registered in geographies with lax regulatory oversight. Often, such vessels operate with substandard insurance and certifications. It is worth noting that a mysterious Mumbai-based shadow fleet shipper—Gatik Ship Management—had emerged out of nowhere to become one of the largest transporters of Russian crude between 2022 and 2023.
The seizure of these tankers by the US has sent shockwaves through the global oil market, highlighting the complexities and challenges involved in tracking and enforcing sanctions on shadow fleet vessels.
Original Article: US seizure of oil tankers: The shadow fleet that transports sanctioned oil, and how it operates — Indianexpress