The Switch List: Tankers Shift From Carrying Iranian Oil to Russian Oil

Updated: September 29, 2023

On December 5, 2022, the G7, the European Union, and Australia agreed to a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian seaborne crude oil. The G7 price cap allows non-EU countries to continue importing seaborne Russian crude oil, but prohibits shipping, insurance, and reinsurance companies from handling cargoes of Russian crude around the globe, unless it is being sold for less than the price cap. EU countries have separately implemented an embargo that prohibits them from purchasing seaborne Russian oil. In an attempt to overcome these curbs on the country’s oil, Russia has established its own shadow fleet of tankers. These are mostly older vessels, many of which have experience working with sanctioned regimes such as Iran. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, more than 64 vessels previously involved in helping Tehran export Iranian export oil are now helping Moscow transport Russian oil or petroleum products.

UANI first predicted that Russia would turn to the “Ghost Armada” to keep the crude flowing to its Chinese partner in May 2022. Since then, the number of tankers that have made the switch has grown.

The “switch list” is below, and UANI will publish monthly updates:

 

IMO

Vessel Name

Flag

  1.  

9213313

ALITA I

PANAMA

  1.  

9354521

ANHONA

BELIZE

  1.  

9268112

ARC 1

PANAMA

  1.  

9257137

AURIGA

PANAMA

  1.  

9280873

AVENTUS I*

PANAMA

  1.  

9232876

BRAVA LAKE

PANAMA

  1.  

9249324

CATHAY PHOENIX

LIBERIA

  1.  

9229439

CERES I

SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE)

  1.  

9257802

CHOLA QUEEN

PANAMA

  1.  

9282792

CLYDE NOBLE

PALAU

  1.  

9247986

CRESTED*

PANAMA

  1.  

9273052

DANICA (EX: AFRA CROWN)*

GABON

  1.  

9240885

EAST 1

HONG KONG

  1.  

9277747

ELISE

LIBERIA

  1.  

9418078

ELIZA II

PANAMA

  1.  

9189952

EM UNITY

SAN MARINO

  1.  

9258870

EMILIA

PANAMA

  1.  

9265744

EVERSHINE (EX: CHAO XING)*

CAMEROON

  1.  

9513139

FJORD SEAL (EX: FEYHA N)

PANAMA

  1.  

9235725

FUGA BLUEMARINE

PANAMA

  1.  

9247792

GABRIELLE

PANAMA

  1.  

9337389

GLAUCUS

PANAMA

  1.  

9363833

GOBY

VIETNAM

  1.  

9259599

HAI II

LIBERIA

  1.  

9162916

HANA

TANZANIA

  1.  

9259185

HEBE

PANAMA

  1.  

9326720

HERA

VIETNAM

  1.  

9304356

HERA 1*

PANAMA

  1.  

9183271

IONA (EX: CALYPSO)

CAMEROON

  1.  

9198094

JOLIE

CAMEROON

  1.  

9224295

JUDY II

SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE)

  1.  

9341512

LADY LUCY (EX: DELPHI)

LIBERIA

  1.  

9258882

LEGEND

VIETNAM

  1.  

9284594

LEOPARD

VIETNAM

  1.  

9266750

MAGIC LADY

LIBERIA

  1.  

9220938

MARBEL

COOK ISLANDS

  1.  

9254915

MARTINA*

PANAMA

  1.  

9281891

MEROPE

LIBERIA

  1.  

9257993

MISTRAL 1

PANAMA

  1.  

9312896

NS CREATION

LIBERIA

  1.  

9286229

OCEAN HERMANA

PANAMA

  1.  

9234642

ORBIT I

PANAMA

  1.  

9301524

PALMER*

VIETNAM

  1. V

9284582

PANDA

VIETNAM

  1.  

9282481

PRIAPUS

PANAMA

  1.  

9316701

PROGRESS V

PANAMA

  1.  

9250907

RANI*

PANAMA

  1.  

9524463

SAKARYA

PANAMA

  1.  

9396725

SAN REMO (EX: ALNIC MC)

LIBERIA

  1.  

9436006

SAMSUN (EX: PARAMOUNT)

PANAMA

  1.  

9308778

SATINA (EX: AMELIA)

PANAMA

  1.  

9264893

SCORPIUS

PANAMA

  1.  

9270517

SEAGULL

PANAMA

  1.  

9242118

SHANAYE QUEEN

MALAYSIA

  1.  

9230971

SKADI

PANAMA

  1.  

9259733

SNOW LOTUS

PANAMA

  1.  

9263643

SONA STAR

COOK ISLANDS

  1.  

9342786

SUNSEA

VIETNAM

  1.  

9218181

TOMIE

PALAU

  1.  

9144782

TURBA (EX: PELICAN)

CAMEROON

  1.  

9187435

VERGIOS

BELIZE

  1.  

9233349

VESNA

BELIZE

  1.  

9422988

VOLANS

BARBADOS

  1.  

9336414

VOLTA RIVER (EX: FREEDOM)

PANAMA

 * Indicates the vessel has been switching between transporting both Iranian and Russian cargoes.