🚢 A Russian "shadow fleet" tanker, the Forwarder, has slipped into the English Channel Wednesday night — the first flagged ship to do so since the UK seized the Smyrtos earlier this week.
After leaving the Russian port of Primorsk with a load of oil, the Forwarder was spotted heading south and broadcasting its final destination of Dongying, China. Despite being sanctioned by the UK, the US and the EU, the vessel has altered its routes frequently in response to NATO patrols and the recent interception of the Smyrtos.
While the Royal Navy’s HMS Tyne was nearby, a NATO frigate, Admiral Grigorovich, had bounced a warning shot toward a British yacht in the Channel earlier in the week, showing how tense the waters have become. Experts say the Forwarder is likely not escorted by a Russian warship, making a British boarding unlikely.
The event underscores the shadow fleet’s role: about 75% of Russia’s sanctioned oil is smuggled by more than 700 ageing tankers. They often use opaque ownership that masks their flag, allowing them to skirt Western sanctions until recently.
Since the Smyrtos seizure, many sanctioned vessels have taken a longer route around Ireland’s western coast to avoid UK territorial waters, which extend 12 nautical miles from shore. Yet, the Forwarder’s daring entry into the Channel will probably prompt NATO to tighten surveillance and keep the UK headlines fiery.
