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Crippled shadow tanker taken in tow
The Ecologistas en Acción de Andalucía requested that Salvamento Marítimo increased its vigilance and caution due to the presence of the Russian shadow fleet tanker 'Chariot Tide' off the coast of Almería, used to transport Russian crude oil and refined products while circumventing international sanctions. The tug 'Clara Campoamor' (IMO: 9338022) was monitoring the tanker, which was drifting at a speed of barely one knot and may have a navigation system malfunctions. The tanker had previously been adrift and NUC in the middle of a major shipping lane on the southern channel of the Strait of Gibraltar's Southern Sea Route (TSS). The tanker was listed as being bound for Tangier-Med carrying more than 425,000 barrels of refined products of Russian origin, loaded at the port of Ust-Luga, Russia. However, given its trajectory and current course, it was not ruled out that these fuels could end up entering the market through a port in Algeria or via supply barges, under falsified export documentation. After drifting off the coast of Tangier for 27 hours, the Moroccan tug 'VB Spartel' (IMO: 9344617) began towing the ship away on Jan 22. As a precaution, Spain placed the pollution response vessel "Luz de Mar" (IMO: 9320104) on standby in the northern part of the traffic separation zone in the strait, in case the situation escalated. Morocco began the salvage operation as part of its own maritime surveillance. The intervention followed criticism from environmental organizations and experts who warned of the consequences in the event of leakage or collision. According to maritime lawyers, the situation violated international safety regulations. The tanker had loaded approximately 300,000 barrels of diesel fuel at the Russian terminal of Primorsk and had made its way through the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic before starting to experience problems near Gibraltar on Jan 22. The ship had periodically switched back and forth between being underway at slow speeds and drifting, repeating the NUC message. Spanish warships appeared to be operating close to the tanker. The 'Chariot Tide', however, appeared to be attempting to stay outside Spanish territorial waters to escape a seizure. The tanker has been operating under EU and UK sanctions since 2024 and in 2025 claimed to be registered in Mozambique, Gambia, and Comoros, all reported to be false, as well as Tanzania. Its last listed inspections were in 2024, and in Feb 2024, inspectors listed 14 deficiencies, including structural condition and operating issues. The ownership was listed as a shell corporation incorporated in the Marshall Islands. The lack of a flag, insurance, and clear ownership was complicating the situation for the vessel to receive assistance and repairs, and it was thought that the crew was working to repair a problem with the engine or the steering. The tanker finally dropped anchor on Jan 24 in the Alboran Sea and resumed its voyage on Jan 25, en route to Mersin, where it arrived on Feb 11 and moored on Feb 20. On Feb 24 it left the port again and transited the Bosphorus on March 3 enroute to the Black Sea.
One shadow tanker underway again, the other adrift
The 'Progress' (IMO: 9306627), one of the two tankers linked to the Russian ghost fleet, which had issued a distress signal last week while sailing in the Mediterranean Sea, appeared to have resumed its course, while the second one, the 'Chariot Bay', has not moved for three days. The 'Progress', carrying approximately 730,000 barrels of crude oil, had changed its status to NUC on Jan 21, shortly after passing Algiers. It moved away from the Algerian coast and then stopped sharing its geolocation. In recent days, it had been drifting at sea, possibly undergoing repairs. On Jan 26, the tanker was located north of Tunisia, re-shared its position and appeared to have resumed its course towards Port Said, sailing under power at a normal speed of 12 knots. The second tanker, the 'Chariot Tide', reported itself NUC on Jan 22, shortly after passing through the Strait of Gibraltar. The vessel, which was carrying approximately 300,000 barrels of crude oil, was taken in tow by the tug 'VB Spartel' on the afternoon of Jan 23, after being stuck for about 27 hours. On Jan 26, the 'Chariot Tide' was still in the same area between Spain and Morocco. The tug had moved it eastwards, thus shifting the problem into international waters and the Spanish SAR zone. The ship was adrift at a speed of 1.7 knots in pos. 36° 08' N 002° 59' W. On Jan 27, the tanker was being escorted to Tanger Med by the SAR vessel 'Clara Campoamor' (IMO: 9338022). The 'Chariot Tide', which was sailing under a Mozambique flag and until November was sailing as 'Marabella Sun', has been on an EU sanctions list since Nov 2024 for helping Russia export oil. while practicing irregular and high-risk shipping practices. It has also been sanctioned by the UK, according to the British government. Between 1,200 and 1,600 tankers were currently operating as a so-called shadow fleet, helping Russia and other countries such as Venezuela and Iran evade Western sanctions and sell their oil to countries such as China and India. The tankers were often old, their ownership was opaque, and they were sailing without top-tier insurance cover to meet international standards for oil majors and many ports.
Tug deployed to drifting shadow tanker
The Moroccan tug 'VB Spartel' (IMO: 9344617) was deployed from tanger-Med to stabilise the 'Progress'. Experts were closely monitoring the situation due to its vulnerable position in the Strait of Gibraltar. The ship was considered to be a so-called ghost tanker, as it was on sanctions lists of both the European Union and the United Kingdom. With a reported damage rate of 42 % and a cargo of 425,000 barrels of Russian refined products, the vessel's technical condition posed a significant risk to the marine environment. The most recent problems arose when the tanker drifted in the southern channel of the traffic separation scheme. The vessel was officially classified as not under command, traveling at only 0.6 knots. Although the Spanish authorities positioned the pollution control ship 'Luz de Mar' (IMO: 9320104), which had been deployed by Salvamento Marítimo from Algeciras to the scene, nearby, it remained at a distance. A direct Spanish intervention would be legally complex and could result in a seizure for violating international sanctions.
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