Russian oil tankers still reaching EU ports despite sanctions

In the fourth year of the Great War in Europe, we still see russian oil tankers, direct crude oil tanker shipments from Russia to EU ports, in violation of the embargo imposed on December 5, 2022.

This may indicate either a lack of control, document forgery, or something else entirely.

In April 2025, we recorded 10 direct crude oil tanker voyages from Russian ports in the Baltic, Black, and Kara Seas to EU ports. They delivered 1.2 million tons of Russian crude oil to the EU.

Among them:

Two direct voyages of large crude oil tankers from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea to ports in the Netherlands and Italy:

1. VILAMOURA, Crude Oil Tanker, IMO 9529293, dwt 158621, flag Marshall Islands, Year built 2011, Port of departure RU ULU UST-LUGA, Time of Departure 2025-04-08 04:58 (UTC+3), Port of destination NL RTM ROTTERDAM, Time of Arrival 2025-04-17 18:17 (UTC+2).

Registered owner XIANG H44 INTERNATIONAL SHIP C/O: TMS Tankers Ltd 109, Kifisias Avenue & Sina Street, Marousi, 151 24, Athens, Greece. Ship manager/Commercial manager TMS TANKERS LTD 109, Kifisias Avenue & Sina Street, Marousi, 151 24, Athens, Greece.

(Maps 1 – general, 2 – arrival at port)

2. DALI, Crude Oil Tanker, imo 9787936, dwt 115281, flag Cayman Islands, Year built 2018, RU ULU 2025-04-28 23:29 (UTC+3), IT MLZ MILAZZO (Sicily) 2025-05-13 17:24 (UTC+2).

Registered owner CHARLOTTE OWNERS INC C/O: TMS Tankers Ltd 109, Kifisias Avenue & Sina Street, Marousi, 151 24, Athens, Greece. Ship manager/Commercial manager TMS TANKERS LTD 109, Kifisias Avenue & Sina Street, Marousi, 151 24, Athens, Greece.

(Maps 3 – general, 4 – arrival at port)