Elisabeth Braw
In 2026, the Baltic Sea countries, France, India, and others have inspected and detained more shadow-fleet vessels than in prior years. In response, Russian military vessels have begun escorting shadow vessels through the English Channel and Baltic Sea. Some Iranian shadow vessels have been able to sail despite the war in Iran and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. A not insignificant number have also managed to evade the United States’ blockade of Iranian ports.
Since the end of 2022, the shadow fleet—a large and growing group of ships that sail outside the official shipping system—has been in the news because of its role transporting sanctioned Russian oil. In March 2026, Iranian shadow vessels began attracting attention as well, as they have been able to keep sailing despite one and then two blockades amid the war in Iran.
No comments:
Post a Comment