On 8 and 10 January 2026, the shadow fleet carrying Russian and Venezuelan oil came under increased military and regulatory scrutiny. A Palau flagged tanker linked to Russia was hit by an unmanned surface vessel off Turkiye; U.S. forces also seized two suspected sanctions evasion tankers as separate operations; regional governments as well as NATO partners are currently reviewing risks related to this opaque trade.
Over the past week, maritime sanctions enforcement took an aggressive new turn when US authorities boarded and treated as stateless the VLCC Marinera registered under Russian flag, following its controversial reflagging. Backed by extensive NATO reconnaissance and shadowed by Russian naval units, this operation demonstrated rising legal, commercial, and security risks associated with global tanker trades.
Over a dozen Western-sanctioned tankers have recently switched their flag to Russia's, seeking protection against U.S. interception and Ukrainian drone attacks. This marks a dramatic transformation of shadow fleet operations: vessels are moving away from open registries towards direct state protection.
Late 2025, following strong US opposition and threats of sanctions, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) delayed voting on its Net-Zero Framework (NZF) for shipping emissions until October 2026 - this postponement jeopardizing global decarbonization efforts while EU sustainability reporting simplifications and new CII guidelines advanced rapidly; industry leaders requested clarity.
On December 18, 2025, the European Union sanctioned 41 additional vessels belonging to Russia's shadow oil tanker fleet - bringing their total up to nearly 600. These measures target tankers that circumvent G7 oil price caps while diverting energy revenues towards funding Russia-Ukraine war. These actions included port bans and service restrictions across EU states amid increasing Urals crude discounts and logistics challenges.
A drug-smuggling semi-submersible the size of a school bus was caught in the North Atlantic in late November 2025. Another similar self-propelled semi-submersible was intercepted 1,000 nautical miles off Lisbon by Portuguese forces in a European Union-funded operation. Both operations highlighted the nadir near the end of 2025 for narco-submarines operating internationally.
Between December 15 and 17 the EU blacklisted additional operators and businesspeople of Rosneft and Lukoil linked to Russia’s ‘shadow tanker’ fleet, also plans to reinterpret maritime law to ease boarding suspect vessels, protecting subsea infrastructure while targeting these tankers.
Between 13-15 December 2025, the European Union subjected further shadow fleet operators transporting Russian oils to sanctions while Ukraine blacklisted most tankers involved in the sanctions evasion network. The measures raised legal and insurance risk exposure for opaque tanker operators, and underscored the lengths that authorities will go to in pursuit of shadow fleet operators.
From December 11-13, 2025, the United States ramped up its campaign against the global shadow fleet by seizing the tanker Skipper off Venezuela with commando raids, while Ukraine and the EU keep up the pressure against dark shipping associated with Russia. The assaults highlighted deteriorating legal, operational and market conditions for owners looking to protect vessels involved in shadowy oil trades.
Shipbuilding industry achieved a number of impressive wins during the otherwise quiet newbuilding week. Cadeler took delivery of their latest wind installation vessel from Korea; QatarEnergy named large LNG carriers at a major Korean yard; Fincantieri s revised US Navy frigate deal robbed their order book of a significant chunk of naval work; the raft of offshore, tanker, hybrid icebreaker projects across Europe and North America.
In the last several weeks, U.S. and European regulators moved to tighten enforcement of maritime sanctions on Russian oil exports, blacklisting additional companies, vessels and individuals while regional governments scrubbed each other’s lists. Overall market data showed Russian crude exports reacting negatively to the latest of these measures; an incident involving one of those tankers in the Black Sea underscored how their operational and security risks were rising.
The European and international authorities escalated sanctions pressure against Russia’s shadow fleet operations in late November 2025. The EU General Court dismissed cases against challenges to sanctions listings while coordinated efforts between OLAF and Europol targeted networks involved in circumvention attempts. Ukraine sanctioned 56 vessels involved in illegal port calls. Canada tripled its shadow fleet designations to 100 vessels.
Europe's shipping emissions in 2024 climbed 13% year-on-year to a new record high since mandatory reporting began in 2018, driven primarily by container ships taking longer routes via the Red Sea and moving cargo more frequently through disruption zones. At the IMOs 2024 Spring meeting in London, the US government successfully convinced those present to delay a vote on their landmark Net-Zero Framework Framework until October 2026, raising the risk of a derailment in the maritime decarbonization efforts.
Europe's shipping emissions in 2024 climbed 13% year-on-year to a new record high since mandatory reporting began in 2018, driven primarily by container ships taking longer routes via the Red Sea and moving cargo more frequently through disruption zones. At the IMOs 2024 Spring meeting in London, the US government successfully convinced those present to delay a vote on their landmark Net-Zero Framework Framework until October 2026, raising the risk of a derailment in the maritime decarbonization efforts.
Classification societies have markedly increased the level of regulatory and technical updates between November and December 2025, focussing on emission reporting deadlines, lifting appliance requirements and new technology approvals. Among these, the U.S. Coast Guard have published updates to their Alternate Compliance Program, and there are also revisions to SOLAS, among other guidance around lifting equipment.
Classification societies have markedly increased the level of regulatory and technical updates between November and December 2025, focussing on emission reporting deadlines, lifting appliance requirements and new technology approvals. Among these, the U.S. Coast Guard have published updates to their Alternate Compliance Program, and there are also revisions to SOLAS, among other guidance around lifting equipment.
In November 2025, critical moments in shipping decarbonization included the IMO's delay of its Net-Zero Framework vote, fresh partnerships between major operators, and growing fears of regulatory fragmentation. Other players are still developing alternative fuel technologies while manoeuvring through the crowded maze of compliance.