Russian “shadow fleet” turns off tracking to evade sanctions

(MENAFN) Russian cargo vessels suspected of being part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet” are increasingly turning off mandatory geolocation systems to avoid detection and bypass international sanctions, according to reports.

A joint investigation tracked nearly 1,400 oil tankers, cargo ships, and intelligence vessels believed to have links to the Kremlin. While many of these ships do not sail under the Russian flag, investigators noted that their navigation patterns are highly suspicious and consistent with covert maritime operations.

The report found that these vessels are now switching off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) twice as often as they did at the start of the war in Ukraine, effectively making themselves “invisible” to tracking systems. This behavior has been frequently observed off the Belgian coast.

A comparison with 100 non-suspect ships flying Dutch, German, Belgian, and Norwegian flags revealed that Russia’s “shadow fleet” went without AIS more than six times as often as normal vessels, despite international maritime rules requiring continuous operation of the system.

Belgium’s Defense Ministry confirmed the investigation’s findings, suggesting that the AIS shutdowns likely aim to circumvent sanctions imposed on Russia since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict. The report also noted that some ships transmit false location data to obscure their actual positions, further complicating European efforts to monitor Kremlin-linked maritime activity.

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