New Target: Illicit Oil Tankers
A senior maritime analyst has reported that a “dark fleet” consisting of around 1,000 illicit oil tankers is avoiding sanctions and is becoming a focus for both the US and Ukraine.
Michel Wiese Bockmann pointed out that the recent actions by the U.S. to seize Venezuelan assets, alongside Ukraine’s drone strikes in the Black Sea, signify a significant shift in their strategies. She emphasized that these aging fleets pose serious geopolitical challenges and the potential for disastrous oil spills costing billions.
According to Bockmann, there are roughly 1,000 oil tankers globally transporting crude oil subject to sanctions from Iran, Venezuela, and Russia. “These vessels are crucial for these regimes, helping finance the war in Ukraine and supporting the Maduro regime,” she noted.
“This issue is novel for the United States, and Ukraine is now also planning to target these vessels,” Bockmann stated. “There’s a fresh strategy to address this dark fleet that supplies funds through sanctioned oil, which is now under assault from both nations.” She described this approach as a response to what’s been termed “gray zone aggression.”
On the Ukrainian side, recent naval drone strikes have damaged several tankers operating in the Black Sea, including the Dashan—part of a shadow fleet that the Ukrainian government claims is defying sanctions to facilitate oil exports, as reported by various sources.
Bockmann added that there’s a pressing environmental concern tied to these vessels, labeling it “a potential billion-dollar oil spill disaster” due to the risks posed by poorly maintained and uninsured ships.
She elaborated on the situation, mentioning that many of the offshore vessels are unlicensed as well as flying false flags. This element complicates the tracking and accountability for crew safety and environmental regulations.
“It’s a substantial maritime safety issue, and it threatens both the environment and crew welfare,” she warned. These ships are often outdated and engaged in licensed oil transactions, with some even manipulating their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to mislead authorities about their whereabouts.
Bockmann explained that U.S. military interventions might now be legal under international laws that allow for interventions against stateless ships. She firmly believed that seizing the tanker was justifiable under international maritime provisions.
In the Caribbean recently, the U.S. successfully seized the tanker Skipper, which had previously evaded sanctions and concealed its location. Bockmann informed that this tanker had been involved in transporting an alarming volume of oil without proper insurance, raising flags about the potential for an environmental calamity.
Meanwhile, in the Black Sea, Ukraine has been pursuing tankers from the shadow fleet, targeting them with maritime drones.
Overall, Bockmann underscored that the current strategies against these tankers are critical not only for enforcement purposes but also for safeguarding environmental and maritime safety interests.
