Germany steps up action against Russia’s “shadow fleet” in its waters
16.01.2026 - 13:00
Tanker vessels have been banned from passing through German territorial waters in the North and Baltic Seas.
The Federal Police of Germany have taken a tougher stance on vessels linked to the Russian “shadow fleet,” Ukrinform reports, citing investigations by NDR/WDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The most telling incident occurred with the tanker Tavian. On January 10, it entered the German part of the North Sea, after which a federal police helicopter was sent to the vessel.
A document check confirmed the suspicions: the tanker was sailing under a false flag and its identification number was forged. It is also noted that Tavian has been under US sanctions since 2021. The crew was officially banned from entering German territorial waters, and on the evening of January 12, the vessel turned around, probably fearing arrest.
A tougher approach is also observed in other cases. German authorities have banned the Russian “research” vessel “Akademik Boris Petrov” from entering its territorial waters.
Separately, an incident involving the tanker Chariot Tide was recorded. On the night of December 5, 2025, it slowed down, reported technical problems, and anchored a few miles from an underwater cable in German waters. Under police supervision, the vessel changed its flag from Gambia to Mozambique on December 7.
The Bundestag is calling for support for the course of inevitable consequences for violators. The head of the parliamentary committee on oversight of special services, Mark Heinrichmann (CDU), stressed that Germany “cannot allow dictators to fool us” and that violations must be punished.
The intensification of Germany’s actions comes against the backdrop of international pressure on the “shadow fleet.” So, the day before, the US seized the sixth “shadow” tanker linked to Venezuela.
