Russia has transferred more than 100 ships from its shadow fleet to its own flag due to the pressure of sanctions

The number of ships flying the Russian flag increased by more than a third between January 2025 and June 2026. This is happening amid mounting international pressure and efforts to combat the so-called “shadow fleet,” according to a study by the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research.

Russia has re-flagged 107 vessels, 72 of which supplied fossil fuels to the global market with a total value of €7.5 billion. Researchers attribute this to increased pressure from the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States on Russian vessels that previously sailed under the flags of other countries. In particular, these countries began detaining tankers linked to the “shadow fleet.”

In October 2025, the “shadow fleet” consisted of 101 vessels, but by the end of June 2026, its size had shrunk to 45 ships. At the time they were re-flagged under the Russian flag, 87% of these vessels were already subject to sanctions.

The reduction in the “shadow fleet” was also influenced by pressure on the countries under whose flags the Russian tankers were sailing. In particular, the Comoros and The Gambia began registering Russian vessels much less frequently after the United Kingdom imposed sanctions against Intershipping Services LLC, a company that handles flag registration for ships in those countries.

According to researchers, due to sanctions pressure, Panama also reduced the number of “shadow fleet” vessels by two-thirds. At the same time, Barbados and Palau completely removed all Russian tankers that had previously sailed under their flags from their registries.

The situation was further exacerbated by an incident in March involving the tanker “Arctic Metagaz,” which also belonged to the “shadow fleet.” The vessel was carrying liquefied gas and fuel oil but sustained a hole in its hull. Afterward, the crew left the tanker adrift in the Mediterranean Sea between Malta, Italy, and Libya.

Italy appealed to the European Commission to prevent an environmental disaster that could have occurred if the fuel had spilled into the sea. At the same time, Russia and other countries did not take responsibility for rescuing the “Arctic Metagaz,” as the vessel’s formal ownership structure proved to be extremely complex. Subsequently, Libya seized the tanker.

According to representatives of the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research, the incident involving the “Arctic Metagaz” demonstrated Russia’s inability to fulfill its obligations to the states that allow “shadow fleet” vessels to sail under their flags. At the same time, many of these tankers are in a dilapidated and unsafe condition.

This was reported by the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research.

Germany is stepping up measures against Russia’s shadow fleet.

Russia has added a 19-year-old tanker to its shadow fleet to circumvent sanctions against LNG.

France detained the Tagor, a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet, in the Atlantic.

The European Union is considering adding about 20 additional tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet to future restrictive measures aimed at reducing Moscow’s oil revenues. New sanctions are also planned to be extended to vessels transporting liquefied natural gas to prevent the Kremlin from creating a similar shadow fleet for LNG.