Sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker catches fire near Sochi

An oil tanker listed under Ukrainian sanctions as part of Russia's so-called shadow fleet has caught fire off the coast of Sochi, according to Ukrinform. The vessel, named AFRAMAX RIO, sails under the Liberian flag.

The term "shadow fleet" refers to a network of ageing tankers that have been used to transport Russian oil in ways intended to circumvent Western sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, often through practices such as flag reassignment, ownership opacity and ship-to-ship transfers at sea.

Ukrinform's report does not specify the cause of the fire aboard the AFRAMAX RIO, the extent of damage to the vessel, or whether there were any injuries among the crew. It also does not detail whether the tanker was carrying cargo at the time of the incident.

Vessels associated with the shadow fleet have faced increased scrutiny and sanctions designation from Ukraine, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States as part of efforts to limit Russia's oil export revenue. Fires and other incidents involving ageing tankers in this fleet have drawn attention to both safety and environmental risks associated with vessels operating outside standard regulatory oversight.

Russian authorities had not issued a public statement on the incident as cited in Ukrinform's report.