A group of seven sanctioned Russian tankers has regularly and deliberately manipulated their positioning system (AIS) over the past 90 days to falsely claim they were moving near the Bosphorus Strait. In reality, these tankers were heading towards the Novorossiysk oil terminal to load oil and were trying to avoid Ukrainian drone attacks on the Black Sea coast.
Identification of Tankers Using Satellite Imagery
Windward was able to identify these tankers using satellite imagery. These tankers had faked their position immediately after passing through the Bosphorus Strait and entering the Black Sea. The manipulation was carried out in such a way that it left uneven traces behind.
Sanctioned Ghost Tankers Identified
The identified tankers included a Suezmax tanker flagged in Sierra Leone, an Aframax tanker flagged in Russia, another Aframax tanker flagged in Russia, a Suezmax tanker flagged in Equatorial Guinea, an Aframax tanker flagged in Equatorial Guinea, a Suezmax tanker flagged in Comoros, and an Aframax tanker flagged in Russia. All of these vessels are under sanctions and are known as shadow tankers.
The duration of GNSS manipulation averaged 2 to 3 weeks, which was the time required for the tankers to move to Novorossiysk, load, and return to sea. While many ships turn off their AIS for legitimate safety and security reasons in the Black Sea, Russian shadow tankers use deceptive methods, including GNSS manipulation, to avoid being targeted by Ukrainian drones.
Russia's Attacks and the Threat to Freedom of Navigation in the Black Sea
Maritime safety and security are in a critical condition, and Russia's increasing attacks on cargo vessels using the special maritime corridor to load grain from Ukrainian ports, including Odesa and the Danube River, have worsened the situation. These hostilities and aggressions have jeopardized the freedom of navigation for commercial transport in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Ukraine reported to the International Maritime Organization on October 2 that Russia had carried out 25 serious attacks between June 6 and September 23, involving 22 commercial vessels and three rescue boats, resulting in the deaths of 26 sailors.
In October, seven more cargo ships were damaged in attacks attributed to Russia near the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania. It appears that Ukraine has stopped drone attacks on tankers since July and has mainly focused on ground targets, including refineries. Unconfirmed reports exist of Ukraine's latest attack on a vessel in early October in Sochi.
Read more: Selection of RSGT as the operator of the Chittagong container terminal · Use of smuggling networks employing similar methods to evade sanctions
