Ukrainian Intelligence Accuses Blast-Damaged Tanker of "Shadow Fleet" Ties

Ukraine's military intelligence agency has a good deal to say about the Greek-owned tanker that suffered an explosion off Benghazi last week. Though the incident occurred thousands of miles from Ukrainian shores, Ukraine's HUR - known best for its inventive naval tactics in the Black Sea - took time to detail the casualty and to accuse the ship of participation in Russia's "shadow fleet."

On Friday, the 158,000 dwt tanker Vilamoura suffered an explosion in the engine room and flooding at position about 80 nautical miles off the coast of Libya. The ship had just departed the Zuwaitina oil terminal with a full cargo of crude, and was headed away from the coast when the blast occurred.

Vilamoura had previously called at Russian oil loading ports, a fact quickly noticed by maritime analysts and by the HUR. She is the fifth foreign-flagged oil tanker hit by an explosion after visiting Russian ports, an apparent pattern that would align with Ukrainian interests.

"Vilamoura has been repeatedly used to transport oil products from the ports of the aggressor state of Russia. For example, in April 2025, the tanker was at the terminal of the port of Ust-Luga, and in May it was recorded in the Novorossiysk area," noted the HUR.

The Ukrainian intelligence agency also alleged that Vilamoura "belongs to the Russian shadow fleet." However, there are factors that point in the opposite direction. Vilamoura is flagged with a reputable flag state, owned by a prominent Greek shipowner with strong ties in the United States, and classed with a leading class society. s

It is wholly possible for Western tankers like Vilamoura to lift discount Russian oil without joining the illicit "shadow fleet," so long as that oil is priced below $60 per barrel. This does happen when benchmark crude prices drop low enough - like they did this spring, while Vilamoura was at Ust-Luga and Novorossiysk.

As of Thursday morning, Vilamoura had reached the Peloponnese and was waiting near Laconia Bay, accompanied by the oceangoing tug Boka Summit.