Drones attacked three tankers of Russiaʼs shadow fleet near Turkey

Unknown drones in the Black Sea attacked three tankers that were helping Russia illegally transport oil.

This is reported by Türkiye Today with reference to the shipping agency Tribeca.

The Palau-flagged tanker James II, which was operating in ballast, was hit by a drone in its engine room when the tanker was approximately 80 kilometers north of the Turkeli area and 77 kilometers from the strait.

According to Tribeca, there were 20 crew members on board at the time of the attack, and they were not injured.

The tankers Altura and Velora were sailing under the Sierra Leone flag and also in ballast when they were attacked in a nearby area during a ship-to-ship transfer operation.

According to GUR, all three vessels (James II, Altura, and Velora) helped Russia transport oil in circumvention of international restrictions.

What is known about the Russian shadow fleet?

In early December 2022, the G7 members, as well as Australia and the EU, imposed price caps on Russian oil, setting a maximum price of $60 per barrel. From February 5, 2023, these countries imposed price caps on Russian petroleum products: $100 for diesel and $45 for various lubricants.

To circumvent oil sanctions, Russia has begun building a shadow fleet. This is a fleet of old tankers that turn off their beacons so that they cannot be seen by surveillance systems. These tankers are mostly operated by the Russian state-owned company “Suchkomflot”.

According to The Guardian’s September 2023 estimates, Russia’s shadow fleet consists of approximately 600 vessels, providing 70% of Russia’s oil exports and an estimated 10% of the world’s “wet cargo” fleet. It transports almost 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, generating large profits for the Kremlin.

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