Shadow fleet tactics to continue in short and mid term

As the global maritime industry grapples with tightening sanctions and intensifying geopolitical competition, the proliferation of so-called “shadow fleets” has emerged as one of the most elusive and strategically potent tools in international oil trade.

Russia and Iran, two nations heavily sanctioned by the West, have dramatically expanded their shadow tanker fleets, leveraging them not only to skirt restrictions but to turn sanctions into opportunities for profit and influence.