Russia’s shadow fleet, comprising over 600 oil tankers, is becoming an increasing threat to the environment and global security. Many of these vessels are decades old, poorly maintained, and lack Western insurance, making them a disaster waiting to happen.
Operating outside international regulations, these ships transport Russian crude in defiance of global sanctions, raising the risk of oil spills, accidents, and environmental devastation.
The Kyiv School of Economics’ KSE Institute defines a tanker as part of the shadow fleet if it meets three criteria: it carries Russian oil, has an opaque ownership structure, and lacks reliable Western insurance. Many of these tankers are so old that they would typically be decommissioned, but instead, they continue to operate under new names and flags. The European Commission has recognized the danger, stating, “The shadow fleet will be actively countered, including via additional designations of vessels.”
One notable example is the Fos Da Vinci, an oil tanker sold to a Vietnamese company and re-flagged in Panama. It has transported over 150 million liters of Russian fuel oil, despite its questionable condition. Without proper maintenance or adherence to international safety standards, such vessels significantly increase the risk of major oil spills, threatening marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
The shadow fleet’s lack of transparency also raises serious security concerns. Benjamin Hilgenstock, a senior economist at the KSE Institute, explains, “You can resell the tanker three times in three weeks.” This rapid turnover of ownership makes it nearly impossible to hold anyone accountable in the event of an accident.
Additionally, the absence of Western insurance means that the financial burden of cleanup efforts falls on affected nations rather than the shipowners or Russia itself.
While the EU, US, and UK have sanctioned around 300 vessels, enforcement remains inconsistent. Some European countries, including Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, have resisted stricter measures due to their reliance on shipping revenues. For example, Cyprus earned an average of 14.1 billion euros annually from its shipping industry between 2018 and 2021. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides emphasized, “Revenue loss due to stricter sanctions enforcement is no trivial matter.”
Despite international sanctions, Russia has earned over 800 billion euros from fossil fuel exports since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The shadow fleet plays a critical role in sustaining this revenue stream, undermining global efforts to limit Moscow’s war funding.
As long as these aging, poorly maintained ships continue to operate without proper oversight, they remain a ticking time bomb for the world’s oceans and coastal regions.
The situation highlights the urgent need for stronger international cooperation to address the risks posed by Russia’s shadow fleet. Without decisive action, the environmental and security threats will only continue to grow.