Russian-flagged fleet size increases by more than one-third, sanctioned vessels switch to Russian registration

(1) According to the Financial Times, since January last year, the fleet sailing under the Russian flag has grown by more than one-third. Facing pressure from Western sanctions, Moscow is taking a more proactive approach to ensure the continued export of oil and natural gas. (2) An analysis released on Friday by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) shows that from early January 2025 to the end of June 2026, the number of vessels registered under the Russian flag increased by 36%, reaching 382 ships. (3) This change comes as Europe and the United States are stepping up enforcement against stateless vessels, attempting to further squeeze Russia's fossil fuel income. (4) Data from maritime analytics firm Windward AI indicates that since December 2024, at least 23 so-called "false-flag" shadow fleet ships have been seized by Europe and the US. (5) CREA found that among the ships that joined the Russian flag registration system since early 2025, over 80% had previously been sanctioned. Many of these new additions are oil tankers or vessels used for ocean export transportation. (6) Meanwhile, the number of ships flying "false flags" dropped from 101 in October 2025 to 45 by the end of June 2026. (7) CREA energy analyst Luke Wickenden stated: "The Russian ship flag registration system has become a one-way safe haven for sanctioned vessels— for every ship that leaves, about nine enter."