Europe reduces shadow fleet by enforcing sanctions on tankers
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European nations reduced the number of ships Russia uses to bypass oil sanctions by detaining vessels and pressuring open ship registries to tighten oversight.
The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reported that the number of “shadow fleet” ships sailing under false flags decreased from 101 in October 2025 to 45 by June 2026. This crackdown forced many of these tankers to re-register under the Russian flag as an alternative.
The shadow fleet consists of older tankers with limited insurance that Russia employs to continue exporting oil despite international sanctions, and Western governments also accuse Russia of using the fleet to fund its war efforts. Countries like France, Sweden, Belgium, and the United Kingdom have boarded ships suspected of being part of the shadow fleet within their waters to enforce the sanctions. Previously, these ships often used open registries, those with low costs and minimal regulation, to hide ownership.
However, Panama, Comoros, Barbados, and Palau have all increased their scrutiny of registered vessels due to pressure from sanctioning countries. Panama alone reduced the number of sanctioned shadow fleet vessels on its registry by nearly two-thirds since May 2025. While the shift to the Russian flag slowed after December 2025, the Russian ship registry increased by 36% since the beginning of last year, reaching 382 ships by June 2026.
CREA analysts warn that registering with Russia effectively shields these vessels from European interception and undermines the current sanctions strategy.
