Oil Tanker Damaged Near Libya Was Part of Russia’s Shadow Fleet, Says Ukrainian Intelligence

The crude oil tanker Vilamoura, which suffered an explosion off the coast of Libya on June 27, is part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” according to a statement from Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR).

The vessel, flagged under the Marshall Islands and operated by Greece-based TMS Tankers Ltd., was reportedly carrying around 1 million barrels of crude oil when an explosion occurred in its engine room.

The incident took place approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Libya’s territorial waters as the tanker was en route from the port of Zueitina to Gibraltar.

While no casualties or environmental damage were reported, the cause of the explosion remains under investigation. The damaged tanker is currently being towed by the Malta-flagged tug Boka Summit to the Gulf of Laconia, Greece, for inspection.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Vilamoura has been previously used to transport petroleum products from Russian ports, including Ust-Luga in April 2025 and the vicinity of Novorossiysk in May.

This activity, HUR notes, is consistent with the behavior of vessels operating within the Kremlin’s shadow oil network—used to bypass international sanctions on Russian energy exports.

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Ukrainian officials highlighted that Vilamoura is one of several tankers connected to Russian port activity that have experienced unexplained explosions in recent months, amid heightened scrutiny of maritime risks and sanctions evasion tactics.

TMS Tankers has not commented on the reported links to Russian oil trade.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that the Vilamoura tanker had recently visited Russian ports to load Kazakh crude before the explosion occurred off the coast of Libya. The ship was being towed to Greece for inspection, with no injuries or environmental damage reported.