New blow to Russia’s shadow fleet: 12 tankers sanctioned

The United Kingdom has sanctioned 12 tankers identified as part of Russia’s shadow fleet. Among the sanctioned vessels is the 22-year-old Dakar, which is currently making a late-season voyage along the Northern Sea Route.

Of the 12 vessels added to the sanctions list, nine are chemical/product tankers and three are oil tankers. The vessels were identified as carrying Russian-origin oil or petroleum products from Russia to third countries.

With the latest measures, the number of oil tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet targeted by UK sanctions has exceeded 600. The British government said the sanctions would target entities contributing to the financing of Russia’s war efforts or providing equipment for those activities.

Late-season voyage along the Northern Sea Route

The Dakar is also notable from an Arctic shipping perspective. Built in 2004, the 21,297-dwt chemical/product tanker is currently sailing along Russia’s Northern Sea Route while carrying methyl tert-butyl ether, a component used in gasoline blending.

The vessel was previously operated under a different name and was classified as Ice Class 1B.

The use of sanctioned and shadow-fleet tankers along the Northern Sea Route has also increased significantly. Between the start of the 2026 summer-autumn navigation season and mid-September, 50 oil tankers and 18 LNG carriers were identified on the route. The figure has already surpassed the 38 oil tankers and 13 LNG carriers recorded throughout the entire 2025 season.

Around three-quarters of the identified tankers were reportedly under sanctions. Of the 50 oil tankers, 26 had an ice class of Ice3 or lower, or no ice class at all, while 33 were at least 15 years old.

The figures indicate a growing role for sanctioned and aging tankers in Russia’s Arctic energy logistics. Shadow-fleet vessels are increasingly using the Northern Sea Route to transport Russian oil and petroleum products to Asian markets.