Where Russia's shadow-fleet tankers go
Days from one load to the next (median)
The core ships' share, one dot each
Core ships (5+ voyages)All other ships
More on the shuttle
Share of Russian loading-terminal calls by month
Russian-flagged shipsNon-Russian flags
Flag on the day of each call; the last month is partial.
Russia moves much of its seaborne oil on ageing tankers with opaque owners and changing names and flags, often called the shadow fleet.
Ship paths join recorded positions in straight lines and may cross land; radar covers selected chokepoints only.
The shadow fleet in brief
Why it is called a shadow fleet
Old tankers held by shell companies change names and flags often, sometimes switch off their AIS position beacons, and lack Western insurance.
How it operates
Oil changes hands in ship-to-ship transfers at sea, and ships go quiet near terminals, so where it came from is hard to trace.
What it carries and what risks it brings
It carries Russian crude and fuel to buyers outside the Western price cap, and its age and weak insurance risk spills no insurer would cover.
The Eagle S, which had loaded at a Russian port, cut the Estlink 2 power cable in December 2024; officers are charged with negligence, not sabotage, and an appeal court sent the case back for trial.
Where it goes
Oil loads at Baltic, Black Sea, Arctic and Pacific ports and goes mainly to India, China and Turkey, often after transfers off Greece, Ceuta, Oman and Malaysia.
Company networks
Companies managing three or more of these ships; select one to show them on the map.