Russian Shadow Fleet Tankers Detected in British Waters

Movements and flags

The AURA 1 was recorded flying a Panamanian flag. It departed Russia’s Ust-Luga port on 9 April.

Filmogaz.com data shows AURA 1 entered the British part of the North Sea on Saturday before mid-afternoon. Its intended route included transit through the Scottish isles toward Port Said, Egypt.

The INA was observed under a Cameroonian flag. It left Port Said at the end of March and entered UK waters on Sunday just before 17:00.

Opposite directions near the Hebrides

Tracking data placed the two tankers about 60 km apart on Monday morning. The INA sailed north while the AURA 1 moved south inside the UK Exclusive Economic Zone.

Both ships showed previous incidents of switching off AIS transmitters. They also have a record of high-risk ship-to-ship transfers.

Sanctions status

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office sanctioned AURA 1 on 24 February. INA was added to sanctions lists in May last year.

Evasion tactics and risks

Experts associate AIS gaps with attempts to evade monitoring. Night-time ship-to-ship exchanges are also flagged as risky.

Such behaviours help vessels circumvent financial and trade restrictions. Authorities view these tactics as typical of shadow fleet operations.

Government and naval responses

UK officials have stepped up measures against the shadow fleet. Since October 2024, the Ministry of Defence says it has challenged more than 700 suspected vessels.

Filmogaz.com has reported that over 120 sanctioned ships have also transited British waters since the prime minister announced a crackdown.

• Sir Keir Starmer announced last month that commandos could be authorised to board sanctioned ships in UK waters.
• No sanctioned vessel has yet been seized under that measure.
• The Royal Navy has been authorised to board and interdict sanctioned ships in UK waters when appropriate.

Recent naval encounters

A Russian frigate from the Black Sea fleet, Admiral Grigorovich, escorted shadow fleet tankers along England’s south coast. UK tanker RFA Tideforce shadowed that group.

The Royal Navy’s HMS Mersey was seen tracking Admiral Grigorovich during the encounter.

Security warnings and undersea threats

The government declassified a report about three Russian submarines loitering near undersea energy and communications infrastructure. They reportedly remained in the area for about a month before withdrawing.

Defence secretary John Healey warned that any attempt to damage cables or pipelines would carry serious consequences. Defence minister Luke Pollard said the visible escorting of merchant tankers highlights the ships’ vulnerability.

Operational posture

An MoD spokesperson said the UK is disrupting and deterring harmful maritime activity. The ministry added that operational details would not be discussed publicly.

Any interception or boarding will be planned jointly with law enforcement, military, and energy market specialists.

Authorities continue to monitor Russian-linked shadow fleet tankers in British waters. Tracking and enforcement efforts remain active across the North Atlantic.