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

Updated: March 1, 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 30 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.  

9308778

AMELIA

PALAU

  1.  

9257137

AURIGA

PANAMA

  1.  

9232876

BRAVA LAKE

PANAMA

  1.  

9249324

CATHAY PHOENIX

LIBERIA

  1.  

9229439

CERES I

SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE)

  1.  

9265744

CHAO XING*

TOGO

  1.  

9282792

CLYDE NOBLE

PALAU

  1.  

9247986

CRESTED*

PANAMA

  1.  

9273052

DANICA (EX: AFRA CROWN)*

GABON

  1.  

9341512

DELPHI

GABON

  1.  

9240885

EAST 1

HONG KONG

  1.  

9258870

EMILIA

PANAMA

  1.  

9513139

FJORD SEAL (EX: FEYHA N)

PANAMA

  1.  

9336414

FREEDOM

VIETNAM

  1.  

9235725

FUGA BLUEMARINE

PANAMA

  1.  

9337389

GLAUCUS

PANAMA

  1.  

9363833

GOBY

VIETNAM

  1.  

9259599

HAI II

LIBERIA

  1.  

9162916

HANA

TANZANIA

  1.  

9259185

HEBE

PANAMA

  1.  

9183271

IONA (EX: CALYPSO)

CAMEROON

  1.  

9198094

JOLIE

CAMEROON

  1.  

9224295

JUDY II

SAO TOME & PRINCIPE (FALSE)

  1.  

9258882

LEGEND

VIETNAM

  1.  

9284594

LEOPARD

VIETNAM

  1.  

9220938

MARBEL

COOK ISLANDS

  1.  

9254915

MARTINA*

PANAMA

  1.  

9281891

MEROPE

LIBERIA

  1.  

9284582

PANDA

VIETNAM

  1.  

9436006

PARAMOUNT

MARSHALL ISLANDS

  1.  

9282481

PRIAPUS

PANAMA

  1.  

9316701

PROGRESS V

PANAMA

  1.  

9524463

SAKARYA

PANAMA

  1.  

9270517

SEAGULL

PANAMA

  1.  

9230971

SKADI

PANAMA

  1.  

9263643

SONA STAR

COOK ISLANDS

  1.  

9218181

TOMIE

PALAU

  1.  

9144782

TURBA (EX: PELICAN)

CAMEROON

  1.  

9187435

VERGIOS

BELIZE

  1.  

9233349

VESNA

?

  1.  

9422988

VOLANS

BARBADOS

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