An aerial view shows an SCF tanker at the crude oil terminal Kozmino on the shore of Nakhodka Bay near the port city of Nakhodka, Russia August 12, 2022. REUTERS/Tatiana Meel/File Photo
In a major escalation of its sanctions against Russia’s covert seaborne oil exports, the United Kingdom today announced its most significant package to date targeting Putin’s shadow fleet of oil tankers.
Eighteen additional vessels have been barred from UK ports and denied access to the country’s maritime services, bringing the total number of sanctioned oil tankers to 43. This move intensifies efforts to curtail Russia’s ability to bypass sanctions and sustain its war efforts through illicit oil exports.
The shadow fleet, a network of aging tankers operating under dubious flags and ownership structures, has become a linchpin in Russia’s strategy to evade international sanctions. These vessels not only undermine global efforts to isolate Russia economically but also present serious threats to maritime safety and the environment, as evident by the growing number of incidents involving these ships.
The risks are stark, with the fleet’s disregard for safety standards heightening the possibility of catastrophic oil spills along global coastlines. Beyond environmental dangers, these ships pose a direct threat to the integrity of international trade.
At the European Political Community (EPC) Summit in July, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued a powerful call to action against the shadow fleet. That call has been answered as the United States and Canada join 44 European nations and the European Union in coordinated efforts to neutralize this growing threat.
“The UK’s relentless action against the shadow fleet is putting grit into the system and starving Putin’s war machine of crucial revenues,” a UK government spokesperson stated.
The UK said the tankers targeted today are responsible for transporting an estimated $4.9 billion worth of oil over the last year alone. The sanctions have already left many of these vessels stranded, idling outside ports across the globe, unable to continue their operations or funnel money back to Moscow.
Sovcomflot, Russia’s largest shipping company, has been particularly hard-hit by the UK’s actions. The state-owned firm has been scrambling to rename and offload its ships to evade sanctions, but today’s measures further tighten the screws on the Kremlin’s key maritime asset.
Russian Sanctions Fail To Curb Blacklisted Oil Tankers
To date, the U.S., UK and EU have sanctioned approximately 90 ships in Russia’s shadow fleet. The U.S. initiated sanctions in October 2023, targeting two vessels for transporting Russian oil above the $60/barrel price cap. The UK and EU followed suit in June with sanctions against individual ships. At least nine vessels are faced multi-authority sanctions.
In addition to targeting oil tankers, the UK has sanctioned four more liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels and Russian gas giant Rusgazdobycha JSC, continuing to pressure Russia’s energy sector. After sanctioning Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project earlier this year, the UK government last month targeted LNG vessels directly for the first time, sanctioning five vessels involved in the transport of Russian LNG.
These moves come at a time of deep financial strain for Russia’s energy industry, with state-owned Gazprom posting a net loss of $6.9 billion in 2023—its first annual loss in over two decades.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy made clear the UK’s determination to counteract Russian aggression on all fronts. “We must combat malign Russian activity at every turn—whether through their illicit tactics to bolster Putin’s war chest, their use of cyber-attacks, or their barbarism on the front lines in Ukraine. The UK is leading the charge against Putin’s dangerous attempts to cling to his energy revenues, with his shadow fleet placing coastlines across Europe and the world in jeopardy.”
Lammy added, “It’s my personal mission to constrain the Kremlin, closing the net around Putin and his mafia state using every tool at my disposal.”
This latest round of sanctions is part of an ongoing campaign that has seen the UK target Russian cyber-crime gangs and military units accused of using chemical weapons in Ukraine.
Separately, the UK is taking steps to combat malign, Russian-backed maritime activity near the UK. As part of the wider crackdown, the UK’s Department for Transport, in coordination with the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), is now actively challenging shadow fleet vessels suspected of operating with dubious insurance as they navigate the English Channel.
Ships that fail to prove their insurance status face immediate repercussions under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which could include detention, the denial of UK port access, or the termination of their registration on the UK Ship Register.
As the global maritime community continues to mobilize against Russia’s shadow fleet, the stakes are clear. With millions of dollars in illicit oil profits at stake, and the potential for environmental disaster looming, the battle to neutralize these rogue ships is critical not only for global security but for the future of international maritime trade.
The tankers sanctioned today include:
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