The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom has yet to detain any tankers from the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of the Russian Federation that transport sanctioned oil. The primary reason cited within government circles is the concern over the enormous financial costs associated with mooring and maintaining such vessels. Estimates suggest these costs could reach tens of millions of pounds sterling.
This is reported by Finway
Internal Discussions and International Context
Despite repeated statements from Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the intention to pursue Russian tankers, debates continue within the British government regarding where exactly to hold the seized vessels and which department should cover the costs. Additional concern arises from the possibility that crew members of the detained vessels, including mercenaries, may apply for asylum in the United Kingdom.
“The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom has not detained any Russian tankers subject to sanctions, as government circles are worried that the costs of mooring and maintaining these vessels could amount to tens of millions of pounds.”
Scale of the ‘Shadow Fleet’ and Concerns Over Violating International Law
According to analysts, the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ consists of approximately 700 vessels that account for about 40% of oil exports from Russia. Despite this scale, British naval forces have not initiated any independent operations to detain these tankers, limiting themselves to supporting allies in this regard. The United Kingdom has also imposed sanctions on 544 vessels of the Russian ‘shadow fleet’.
Another factor influencing the government’s decision is the concern that detaining these vessels could be perceived as a potential violation of international law. This has been reported by British media citing insiders in the government. A similar situation is observed in other European countries: for instance, in April 2026, Estonia refused to detain Russian tankers, citing excessive risks associated with such actions for Tallinn.