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US Seizes Russian-Flagged Tanker as Moscow Reflags Five More Shadow Fleet Ships
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Five oil tankers operating near Venezuela and sanctioned by the United States have officially switched to sailing under the Russian flag, marking another step by Moscow to formalize its so-called “shadow fleet” and blunt international restrictions, The New York Times reported on January 7.
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The vessels, which had previously concealed their origins by operating under foreign flags, have now been re-registered under Russian jurisdiction while anchored off Venezuela’s coast—a country itself under heavy Western sanctions.
According to Russia’s official maritime registry, the tankers Bella 1 and Hyperion are among those that have completed the flag change. Registry data show that at least three other tankers operating in Venezuelan waters have followed the same path in recent days.
All five ships are under US sanctions for transporting Iranian or Russian oil. After reflagging, they listed Russian ports—including Sochi and Taganrog—as their new home ports.
One of the tankers disappeared from Venezuelan territorial waters earlier this week despite an active US maritime blockade targeting sanctioned vessels, underscoring the growing challenge Washington faces in enforcing oil restrictions at sea.
The moves extend a broader pattern seen in recent weeks, in which sanctioned tankers attempt to shield themselves from seizure by rapidly shifting registration to Russia while operating in high-risk waters.
Earlier, Russia formally asked the United States to stop pursuing an oil tanker that had been fleeing the US Coast Guard across international waters.
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