Three tankers of the “shadow fleet” were sent for disposal in February alone, — Bloomberg
13.02.2026 - 17:30
More and more tankers involved in the transportation of sanctioned oil and subject to US sanctions are increasingly being scrapped.
In just under a month, three such vessels subject to US sanctions have arrived on India’s west coast for dismantling, Bloomberg reports.
The supertanker Woodchip (built in 1993), which was added to the US sanctions list in 2021 under a different name, reached the coast of Gujarat late last week. It is the oldest sanctioned supertanker to arrive at India’s ship recycling center in Alanga.
The tankers Global Star and Bodhi also arrived for recycling.
“This indicates a gradual “aging” and reduction of the so-called shadow fleet, which transports sanctioned or sensitive oil. Due to oversupply and increasing operational risks, outdated vessels are starting to be withdrawn from the market,” the publication notes.
According to Braemar, the 963 tankers of the shadow fleet that transported sensitive cargoes over the past year have an average age of 21 years, which is significantly longer than the typical service life before disposal.
Read also: Ukraine has imposed new sanctions against tankers carrying Russian oil.
