Shadow Fleet

Marine vessels involved in the transportation of sanctioned oil
Total number:
1468
Marine vessels
545
Masters
Updated: 23.09.2026
The shadow tanker fleet transports growing volumes of sanctioned oil around the world, generates billions of dollars in revenue for russia and Iran, threatens environmental safety in the oceans, serves as a spy platform, and is used for sabotage activities in the interests of the aggressor.
The sanctioned countries are looking for new markets for oil, building up their tanker fleet to circumvent restrictions, and shipping crude oil mainly to China and India.
The shadow tanker fleet with a total deadweight of more than 100 million tons (approximately 17% of the world`s oil tanker fleet) consists of more than a thousand mostly outdated, poorly maintained vessels without proper insurance, with ‘confusing’ ownership and management structures located in ‘friendly’ jurisdictions, under ‘convenient’ flags. Such vessels resort to deceptive tactics at sea to conceal the origin of their cargo, threaten ‘environmental chaos’ and billions of dollars in losses to coastal countries by passing through busy, narrow international transportation routes without pilotage. Since the beginning of russia`s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shadow tankers have already been involved in more than 50 incidents from the Danish Straits to Malaysia.
 
 
 
 
Category
Sanctions
 
 
DWT: 69 622 тис.тоннTotal: 767
MARKAB
Vessel name
MARKAB
IMO
9441958
Flag (Current)
Gabon Gabon
Vessel Type
Chemical/Oil Products Tanker
Category
Transportation of fossil fuels in violation of sanctions and other restrictions
icon arrow-tree Transporting russian crude oil / petroleum products
During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker was involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products, bunkering of sanctioned vessels with russian affiliation, and shadow fleet vessels in the russian EEZ in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait.
In January and February 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of russian oil products from the russian port of Tuapse, where a production complex belonging to the sanctioned PJSC Rosneft Oil Company, the Tuapse Oil Refinery with a sea terminal, is located. The sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, and the recipient was Tejarinaft FZCO.
In November 2024, in the waters of the Azov Sea to the north of the Kerch Strait, the tanker bunkered the sanctioned vessel IMO 9851127, affiliated with the sanctioned russian shipping company Paula Rise LLC, which was sanctioned by the United States in February 2023 for its activities in the maritime sector of the russian economy, participation in increasing russia's trade with Turkey and facilitating the supply of materials to construction sites in the Arctic; the transfer of cargo with the tanker IMO 9262924, which is considered part of the shadow fleet of the russian federation and was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in February 2025.
In October 2024, in the waters of the Azov Sea to the north of the Kerch Strait, the tanker bunkered tanker IMO 9224441, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, whose main charterers are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia; the tanker IMO 9222560, which is considered to be part of the shadow fleet involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products using deceptive, high-risk practices, calling at the ports of the TOT of Crimea in Ukraine.
The tanker is affiliated with the Indian companies Maritas Fleet PVT LTD, Bravo Ship Management Pvt Ltd, which were the former ISM managers of the tanker. Maritas Fleet PVT LTD and Bravo Ship Management Pvt Ltd are associated with the management of tankers affiliated with the sanctioned company Hennesea Holdings Limited (UAE), which shortly before the price cap policy came into force acquired 18 oil tankers transporting russian sanctioned crude oil/petroleum products and was sanctioned by the USA for violating the price cap.
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CH ELIXIR
Vessel name
CH ELIXIR
IMO
9253246
Flag (Current)
Barbados Barbados
Vessel Type
Chemical/Oil Products Tanker
Category
Transportation of fossil fuels in violation of sanctions and other restrictions
icon arrow-tree Transporting russian crude oil / petroleum products
During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products mainly from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, including through STS transfers with russian affiliations. Transshipment of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin by STS method at sea allows concealing the ownership and origin of the cargo, legalizing their supply to the EU, the US and other countries. In turn, the sale of crude oil/petroleum products on the world market allows accumulating significant financial resources in the state budget of the russian federation, which are used, among other things, to build up the military potential of the aggressor state and to provide material support for russia's military operations on the territory of Ukraine.
The tanker engages in dark activities in the Kerch Strait (December 2024), near russian ports in the Black Sea (December 2024, January 2023), Turkey (September 2024), and Libya (June 2024).
The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Ukraine, in particular, in December 2024, the tanker IMO 9253246 called at the port of Komysh-Burun, after leaving the port of Komysh-Burun, the tanker called at the Libyan port.
In January and February 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of consignments of russian diesel oil products (almost 63 thousand tons in total) from the russian port of Tuapse, where the production complex belonging to the sanctioned Rosneft Oil Company, the Tuapse Oil Refinery with a sea terminal, is located. The sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, and the recipients were Tejarinaft FZCO and Spg Trading LLC.
In December 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, tanker IMO 9253246 made an STS transfer with tanker IMO 9271327, which is considered part of the shadow fleet, classified by the International NGO Greenpeace as a shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. On January 10, 2025, the United States sanctioned tanker IMO 9271327, with which tanker IMO 9253246 had conducted an STS transmission shortly before the restrictions were imposed.
In December 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, tanker IMO 9253246 conducted an STS transmission with tanker IMO 9240885. The tanker IMO 9240885 is considered part of the shadow fleet, involved in the transportation of Iranian oil, export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports, including by conducting STS transfers in the Kerch Strait area with vessels with russian affiliation (including the tanker IMO 9224441, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied gas), makes calls to the ports of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine (Komysh-Burun, Kerch), in particular in December 2024, March 2025.
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BERNICE
Vessel name
BERNICE
IMO
9220926
Flag (Current)
Bahamas Bahamas
Vessel Type
Chemical/Oil Products Tanker
Category
Transportation of fossil fuels in violation of sanctions and other restrictions
icon arrow-tree Transporting russian crude oil / petroleum products
Танкер в период действия нефтяного эмбарго G7 и ЕС, политики price cap на российскую нефть/нефтепродукты задействован в экспорте российской нефти/нефтепродуктов с применением обманчивых практик (отключение AIS, ведение темной деятельности в районе Керченского пролива, вблизи российских портов в Черном море). Судно осуществляет заходы в российский порт Светлый в Балтийском море, где размещен терминал российской подсанкционной компании ПАО "Лукойл", мощностью 6 млн т нефти и нефтепродуктов, в российский Таманский перегрузочный комплекс нефти и нефтепродуктов, порт Новороссийск в Черном море.
По состоянию на 24 апреля 2025 года владельцем, менеджером танкера с июля 2023 года является китайская компания Bernice Shipping Ltd, флот которой состоит только из судна IMO 9220926.
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