The European Union is moving to enforce a new round of sanctions aimed at stopping what analysts describe as a hidden fleet of Russian oil transport. The plan, reported by Politico in its American edition, centers on tightening controls over tanker vessels that may be diverting crude oil or refined products and selling them under the radar to skirt existing restrictions.
The draft measure targets vessels suspected of fraud or those believed to be bypassing sanctions by concealing the origin or destination of oil. The goal is to cut off access to EU ports for such ships, making it harder for the shadow fleet to operate with impunity and pressuring Moscow to adhere more strictly to price caps and other curbs on Russia’s oil trade.
Observers say the initiative is part of a broader strategy to compel Russia to align with the agreed price ceilings and sanctions regime that seeks to curb Moscow’s revenue from oil exports while preserving stable energy supplies for European customers during a delicate transition period.
Earlier this year Bloomberg reported that a consortium of U.S. insurers halted coverage for the Indian shipping company Gatik Ship Management. This move, described as a significant blow to the Russian shadow fleet, underscores how financial and logistical pressures are being layered onto the sanctions framework to disrupt the fleet of ships linked to Russia.
The price cap framework itself has evolved. The current understanding is that a cap of sixty dollars per barrel has been established for Russian crude transported to markets under a specific set of conditions, with a separate cap set at one hundred dollars per barrel for petroleum products priced above crude oil, such as diesel and kerosene. A lower ceiling—forty-five dollars per barrel—applies to certain discounted or intermediate products, including naphtha and fuel oil. These thresholds are designed to constrain revenue from Russia while preserving strategic flexibility for buyers and suppliers that must manage energy security. Attribution: policy announcements by the EU, the G7, and allied partners.