Overview
- An international investigation by NDR, WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung and partners found that more than 500 of roughly 1,400 shadow‑fleet tankers lack a correct national flag, making them boardable and detainable under international law.
- North and Baltic Sea countries are drafting a regional code of practice for handling such vessels, and the EU is preparing to expand its sanctions list by 43 ships to 640, even as collective enforcement remains uneven.
- Researchers documented widespread flag manipulation, including use of Guyana and Guinea flags and reflagging to Cameroon; 176 ships were recently flagless and 29 sailed the Baltic without a valid flag since November, with about 20 reflagged to Cameroon in recent days.
- Recent enforcement actions include U.S. and French seizures and a German order that turned back the tanker Tavian for irregular flagging, underscoring a growing—though still limited—willingness to act.
- Officials and experts warn the fleet funds billions for Russia and poses acute risks through aging, underinsured ships, suspected sabotage of undersea cables and reports of roughly 100 unmanned tankers drifting at sea.