Shadow fleet

A shadow fleet, also referred to as a dark fleet, is a ship or group of such shadow ships, "...that uses concealing tactics to smuggle sanctioned goods". Shadow fleets are a direct response to international or unilateral economic sanctions. The term therefore more broadly refers to practices of sanction-busting in the maritime domain through the use of unregistered or fraudulent vessels. Goods commonly exported and imported include raw materials such as oil and iron, luxury goods, and weapons and defense technologies. Shadow fleets use a wide range of layered techniques, aimed at obscuring their activities or keeping plausible deniability. Though those techniques are well documented and are similar across actors, they create enforcement problems for authorities due to lack of coordination, cooperation, or resources and political will. Moreover, shadow fleets operate in legal grey zones, often on the high seas beyond the jurisdiction of coastal states, making arrests and seizures difficult. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian shadow fleet smuggling Russian oil for export has drawn renewed attention. This has led to growing concerns about the geopolitical impacts of such fleets, their significance with regards to sanctions' enforcement and efficacy, and the safety and security risks they create.…

A shadow fleet, also referred to as a dark fleet, is a ship or group of such shadow ships, "...that uses concealing tactics to smuggle sanctioned goods". Shadow fleets are a direct response to international or unilateral economic sanctions. The term therefore more broadly refers to practices of sanction-busting in the maritime domain through the use of unregistered or fraudulent vessels. Goods commonly exported and imported include raw materials such as oil and iron, luxury goods, and weapons and defense technologies. Shadow fleets use a wide range of layered techniques, aimed at obscuring their activities or keeping plausible deniability. Though those techniques are well documented and are similar across actors, they create enforcement problems for authorities due to lack of coordination, cooperation, or resources and political will. Moreover, shadow fleets operate in legal grey zones, often on the high seas beyond the jurisdiction of coastal states, making arrests and seizures difficult. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian shadow fleet smuggling Russian oil for export has drawn renewed attention. This has led to growing concerns about the geopolitical impacts of such fleets, their significance with regards to sanctions' enforcement and efficacy, and the safety and security risks they create. Indeed, as 'dark' vessels use deceptive practices and often constitute ageing vessels, they "present a serious threat to maritime security, safety and the marine environment". The International Maritime Organization signaled its desire to create new enforcement mechanisms against grey ships, signing a resolution in October 2023 that defined for the first time the term 'dark' ship. It noted that: === Other implicated flags=== Other flags under scrutiny for sanctions evasion include Tanzania, Fiji, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Gabon. These registries have been found to facilitate illegal activities, particularly in relation to North Korea. Despite efforts to address these issues, concerns remain about their role in facilitating sanction-busting activities. Before its closure in 2002, Cambodia's registry was involved in a wide variety of illegal activities, including smuggling and trafficking. Cambodia claimed to have terminated its contract with the Cambodian Ship Registration Management Committee and ceased the flag of convenience business. However, reports from 2020 indicate that North Korean vessels still manipulate Cambodian flags to evade sanctions. Despite being landlocked, Mongolia emerged as a flag of convenience, attracting sanctioned states with lax regulations and quick registration processes. Concerns have been raised about its involvement in controversial maritime activities and facilitation of sanction evasion. Gabon is possibly rising as a new flagging option for Russia and Iran-linked tankers. A surge in vessels flying the Gabon flag has been reported following increased sanctions enforcement on Liberian and Marshall Islands flags.

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