The 17th EU sanctions package targeting Russia, issued last week, stood out by the number of shipping vessels it included. With 189 vessels, the total number of EU-sanctioned sanctioned vessels - mostly Russian-controlled - now stands at 342. The EU is increasingly targeting the shadow fleet of oil tankers that circumvent restrictions on Russian oil exports. The fact that Russia recently scrambled a fighter jet to prevent Estonia from seizing a flagless oil tanker shows that these sanctions are beginning to have an impact, and that more may, follow. The EU also targeted the ecosystem of the shadow fleet by designating owners, shipping companies and insurers as well.
Subtle naming, Vova.
And maritime sanctions aren't solely limited to the conflict between the EU and Russia. In April, the United States’ OFAC sanctioned three vessels for calling Yemeni ports controlled by the Houthis.
OpenSanctions now offers a dedicated maritime export for our bulk data clients. In addition to sanctioned vessels, this CSV file also contains all organizations in our dataset that are associated with a seven-digit identifier issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO number). This download makes it easier to access an up-to-date list of sanctioned vessels for anyone screening a fleet against sanctions risk.
Please get in touch if you have any questions – and thanks to everyone who provided feedback during development!
