The EU’s 17th Sanctions Package: Targeting Russia’s Shadow Fleet and War Economy
Expanding Sanctions on Russia’s Shadow Fleet The European Union has introduced its most comprehensive set of sanctions yet in response to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. The 17th package specifically targets Russia’s clandestine network of oil tankers, known as the “shadow fleet,” aiming to severely restrict Russia’s oil revenues, a critical source of funding for...
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Europe’s Shadow Fleet Step Shows What’s Coming…
The European Union has taken a major step in its ongoing campaign against the shadow fleet – a sprawling network of aging, uninsured, and often sanctioned vessels quietly operating in European waters. The European Commission amended the Vessel Monitoring Directive to require all vessels passing through EU waters – even those not calling at an...
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The Need to Know Your Vessel (KYV™) is Highlighted in OFAC’s 2025 Advisory
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a new maritime sanctions advisory on April 16, 2025, that signals a pivotal shift in compliance expectations. The update doesn’t just revisit the deceptive shipping practices (DSPs) introduced in 2020, it expands the scope of what regulators consider red-flag behavior, particularly in connection with Iranian...
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5 Key Findings & Implications from RUSI’s Taskforce’s Last Report
The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Maritime Sanctions Taskforce published its second meeting report at the beginning of 2025, offering an in-depth analysis of the evolving dynamics of the shadow fleet. This comprehensive document sheds light on the sophisticated methods employed by the fleet to circumvent international sanctions, particularly those targeting Russia and Iran. For...
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How to Handle the Widening U.S.-Europe Sanctions Gap
What a clear contrast we are witnessing this week regarding the U.S., Europe, and UK’s differing approaches to sanctions. On the third anniversary of Russia’s Ukraine invasion, the U.S. chose to sanction the dark fleet…of Iran? “Iran continues to rely on a shadowy network of vessels, shippers, and brokers to facilitate its oil sales and...
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