Key facts
- A Russian-flagged tanker, Forwarder, entered the English Channel on Wednesday evening.
- This is the first transit by a sanctioned 'shadow fleet' vessel since UK forces boarded the Smyrtos.
- Forwarder is en route to Dongying port in China.
- The vessel was previously sanctioned by the UK, US, and EU for alleged oil smuggling.
- The Smyrtos was seized for sailing without a registered flag, breaching international law.
A Russian-flagged tanker, identified as Forwarder, has entered the English Channel, marking the first transit by a vessel from Russia's 'shadow fleet' since British forces boarded the Smyrtos earlier this week. Ship-tracking data reviewed by BBC Verify shows the Forwarder, which left Primorsk on June 12, entered the Channel on Wednesday evening and is heading towards Dongying port in China.
Following the interception of the Smyrtos, which was sailing without a registered flag and in breach of international law, several sanctioned vessels had altered their courses to avoid the English Channel, opting for alternative routes such as around the west coast of Ireland. The Smyrtos remains held by UK officials, and its captain faces charges for contravening sanctions.
Experts suggest that the UK is unlikely to intercept the Forwarder, as it is a Russian-flagged vessel and may be escorted by a Russian warship, such as the Admiral Grigorovich, which was involved in a separate incident in the Channel on Tuesday. Intercepting a Russian-flagged ship could represent a significant escalation.
The 'shadow fleet' of over 700 ageing tankers plays a critical role in transporting approximately 75% of Russia's sanctioned oil exports. In the months since British forces were granted the ability to board sanctioned vessels, nearly 200 such ships have passed through the English Channel, with some briefly entering UK territorial waters.