UK pressure forces Putin's shadow fleet off Channel route

Britain's crackdown on Russia's so-called shadow fleet is forcing sanctioned oil tankers to abandon the English Channel in favour of longer, more expensive routes around northern Scotland, according to new maritime analysis.

The shift follows the Royal Marines' seizure of the tanker Smyrtos last month, a move analysts say has transformed the Channel into a high-risk chokepoint for vessels linked to Russia's sanctions-busting oil trade.

Channel becomes a costly obstacle

Data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, cited by The i Paper, shows that in the 13 days before the Smyrtos was seized, around two-thirds of blacklisted tankers travelling through British waters used the English Channel.

In the 13 days after the operation, that figure dropped to just a quarter. Most sanctioned vessels instead sailed around the north of Scotland, adding several days to journeys bound for ports in Asia and Africa.

Seizure changes the risk calculation

Gonzalo Saiz Erausquin, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said the UK had already made the Channel a dangerous route through its tougher enforcement stance announced earlier this year.

The seizure of the Smyrtos reinforced that message. He said shadow fleet operators are now reassessing traditional routes as longer voyages increase fuel costs, delay deliveries and reduce profitability.

the Smyrtos

Sanctions cat-and-mouse continues

Russia's shadow fleet consists of ageing, often uninsured vessels that transport crude oil outside the G7 price cap imposed after Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Many sail under false flags or obscure ownership structures to evade sanctions and conceal links to Russia.

Analysts say the tactic allows Moscow to continue generating revenue from oil exports, although stateless vessels remain vulnerable to interception under international law. Around a dozen shadow fleet tankers have reportedly been seized by European countries since 2024.

Pressure builds on Russia's oil network

Despite the changing routes, analysts expect Russia to continue relying on its shadow fleet, even as risks grow. Luke Wickenden of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said the fleet remains central to maintaining oil revenues above the G7 price cap.

Experts also argue that Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have had an even greater impact on exports. Together with tougher maritime enforcement, they are increasing costs and complicating the logistics underpinning one of the Kremlin's most important sources of wartime funding.

The Channel 'choke point' trapping Putin as shadow tankers veer away fearing seizure