Most of the Russian tanker fleet is forced to change its flag due to the strengthening of US and UK sanctions, which complicate the operation of Moscow’s shipping network. About this informs Bloomberg.
Barbados’ ship register, which operates under British rules, will remove the flags of 46 ships under London sanctions by the end of January 2025. Among them, 14 tankers are also subject to US sanctions.
Although Barbados does not formally impose sanctions against Russia, its decision to enforce the restrictions reflects its close ties with Great Britain. At the same time, ships that have been sanctioned by the US, but not by Great Britain, will be able to keep the Barbados flag.
Panama’s maritime authority has also begun canceling the registration of 68 vessels under US, EU, UK and UN sanctions that were approved at the end of 2024. The loss of flags complicates the logistics of Russian oil exports, forcing tankers to register in less reputable jurisdictions or change hands to avoid sanctions.
This was the result of large-scale sanctions introduced on January 10, 2025, which affected almost 200 vessels of the so-called “shadow fleet” of Russia. These ships are used to circumvent restrictions on the export of Russian oil.
