February 18, 2026
Maritime Defense Weekly: Offshore Enforcement and Baltic Exposure
2022 Windward’s Maritime Risk Summary
What’s inside?
Everything you need to know about Maritime AI™ directly to your LinkedIn
Trending
- The EU’s 18th Sanctions Package Lookback Started. Trading Russian Products? You're At Risk. Nov 24, 2025
- Tanker Freight Rates Hit Five-Year High Amid Russian Oil Sanctions Shake-Out Nov 6, 2025
- Sanctioned, Stateless, and Still Sailing: Expert Insights from the Frontlines of Maritime Sanctions Nov 3, 2025
Explore more
Cameroon Pledges Crackdown on Ship Registry Flagging 13% of Dark Fleet Tankers
Cameroon’s government has pledged to deregister all shadow fleet tankers following representations from Brussels and amid a surge in registrations from sanctioned, stateless tonnage in late 2025 and early 2026. More than 20 vessels reflagged to Cameroon in the past 30 days, and 43 in the past 60 days, according to Windward Maritime AI™ intelligence....
Read more
EU-Owned Tankers Ship 35% of Russia’s Oil in January Ahead of EU Ban
EU Moves to End Maritime Workarounds EU-owned tankers shipped 35% of Russian oil in January, ahead of a planned “full maritime services ban” that will end Western marine service providers’ ability to transport crude sold to fund the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. The ban was announced on February 6 by European Commission President Ursula von...
Read more
Venezuela’s Oil Policy Shift and the Rising Maritime Risk Landscape
At a Glance How Venezuela’s Oil Reform Is Changing Maritime Risk In late January 2026, Venezuela’s legislature approved sweeping reforms to the nation’s oil laws, effectively opening its state-dominated energy sector to private and foreign investment in a dramatic policy shift after more than two decades of socialist control. This overhaul aims to attract capital...
Read more
False Flags and Fraudulent Registries: The Hidden Threat to Global Shipping
At a Glance The Surge in False Flags False flagging has shifted from a niche compliance issue to a systemic risk in global shipping. As sanctions enforcement expands, an increasing number of vessels are operating without legitimate nationality while continuing to trade internationally. Rather than sailing under recognized flag states, many tankers now claim registration...
Read more
Maritime Compliance in 2026: Why Behavioral Risk Is the New Red Flag
At a Glance Strikes, Seizures, and Sanctions: Maritime Risk Heats Up in 2026 In early 2026, maritime enforcement crossed a threshold. Under Operation Southern Spear, the U.S. has launched a sustained campaign of global interdictions, extending far beyond Venezuela’s proximate waters and targeting tankers for deceptive shipping practices and sanctions evasion. U.S. forces recently seized...
Read more