Shadow Fleet
그림자 함대
A network of aging tankers that conceal ownership structures and evade enforcement through flags of convenience, AIS manipulation, and ship-to-ship transfers to export crude oil and petroleum products from sanctioned states. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) defined it in Resolution A.1192(33) of December 2023 as ships engaged in illegal operations to circumvent sanctions, and it expanded dramatically after Russia built a large fleet in response to the G7/EU price cap on Russian crude following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The fleet's aging vessels, lack of proper insurance, and opaque ownership pose growing environmental, maritime safety, and security risks.
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) Background and scale of the Russian shadow fleet, IMO definition adopted December 2023, size estimates of 1,100–1,400 vessels by late 2023
- europarl.europa.eu 766242_EN.pdf — European Parliamentary Research Service briefing 'Russia's shadow fleet: Bringing the threat to light' (November 2024), detailing IMO Resolution A.1192(33) definition, scope, and associated risks
- bbc.com BBC Korean report on Russian shadow fleet operations, tactics (AIS manipulation, flag-hopping, zombie ships), and environmental/sabotage risks (November 2025)