Great Britain plans to stop “shadow fleet” tankers
13.01.2026 - 15:03
Ministers believe the UK can legally intercept Shadow Fleet tankers.
The government has set out a legal basis that could allegedly be used to allow British troops to board and detain Shadow Fleet vessels, BBC News reports.
Last week, British forces helped US forces seize the Marinera oil tanker, which US officials believe was carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran in breach of US sanctions.
No British troops have boarded either vessel to date, but officials have spent the past few weeks examining what measures could be taken.
Ministers believe the Money Laundering and Sanctions Act 2018 could be used to authorise the use of military force. Plans are understood to be underway for the military to use these powers, which is described within the government as a step up against Shadow Fleet vessels.
The UK has already imposed sanctions on more than 500 such vessels. Ministers say the action taken by the UK and its allies has forced around 200 vessels to leave the sea, most of which were operating without a valid flag.
The government believes the new legal mechanism they have identified can be applied to any sanctioned vessel that does not have a valid flag.
USM previously reported that Trump commented on the seizure of the shadowy tanker Marinera (ex-Bella 1).
