Germany acts strongly against Russian "shadow fleet"

2026-01-22 09:02:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Finland, Denmark, and even Sweden have long distrusted the Russian "shadow fleet," and Germany was hesitant. But that has changed: the passage of some ships is now prohibited.

In the early hours of January 10, the tanker "Tavian" sailed into German waters in the North Sea. The ship belongs to the Russian shadow fleet and German police consider it a so-called "zombie ship" - a ship that formally does not actually exist. The maritime police sent a helicopter and asked the captain to inspect the ship's documents.

At that moment, the "Tavian" was sailing west from Schleswig-Holstein towards the Baltic Sea, most likely towards one of the Russian oil ports near St. Petersburg. Ship movement data and airspace surveillance confirm that the German police helicopter did indeed approach the ship.

When the "Tavian" passed Denmark and approached German waters again, this time near Flensburg, the police sent it a clear message: it was forbidden to enter German territorial waters. A review of the documents confirmed the suspicions: the ship was sailing under a false flag and the identification number was forged. "Tavian" has been on the US list of sanctioned ships since 2021.

Agreements have their limits.

The measure had a rapid effect: on Sunday evening, the "Tavian" changed course and left the Baltic Sea. German police then informed the Interior Ministry about the whole incident. A police spokesman did not want to comment further.

The incident represents a turning point in the German authorities' crackdown on the Russian shadow fleet. The police and navy have so far struggled to tackle the problem. Around 500 old, dilapidated tankers form the core of the network through which Russia circumvents sanctions on oil exports. These ships directly fill Russian war coffers, transporting billions of dollars in oil that would otherwise have to be sold at a much lower price. Under EU rules, Russian oil can only be exported at a price 15 percent below that on the world market.

Several ships from the shadow fleet are also linked to cases of espionage and sabotage.

False flags

Western countries have long believed that ships, including Russian tankers, can fully rely on the right of "innocent passage" under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This right allows passage through the territorial waters of another state, provided there are no hostile intentions and without the possibility of boarding the ship.

In addition, there is an additional obligation that the Baltic Sea has complete freedom of navigation for the states that have access to it. This was also true during the Cold War.

But that interpretation is now changing. The convention requires every ship to sail under the true flag of a state. If a ship has no flag or sails under a false one, it cannot pass, experts say. The same applies if the passage is not peaceful or poses a security risk.

The United States has recently used this provision, banning several ships from its shadow fleet.

Full political support

Marc Henrichmann (CDU), chairman of the parliamentary committee that oversees the work of Germany's intelligence services, calls for the existing legal framework to be used to its full potential.

"We must not allow ourselves to be mocked by despots like Putin. We must show that breaking the law has consequences." In his opinion, dangerous tankers should be banned and permanently removed from traffic.

Green MEP Robin Wagener believes that a tougher approach to the shadow fleet is long overdue: "Peaceful passage does not apply to ships that sail under a false flag and pose a risk. We must act on this. It is an environmental threat and a platform for espionage, sabotage and the launch of drones."

The German authorities' tougher approach is also evident in other cases. According to NDR, WDR and SZ, the Russian research vessel "Akademik Boris Petrov" was recently denied entry into German territorial waters.

Another flag still at anchor

The second case concerns the tanker "Chariot Tide". On the night of December 5, 2025, the ship slowed down, the captain reported technical problems and dropped anchor in the German part of the North Sea - just a few miles from the submarine cable. This ship was also sailing under a false flag.

A year ago, a tanker from the shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea damaged a submarine cable with its anchor. The German authorities reacted seriously this time: the navy sent the frigate "Baden-Württemberg" and the police ship "Potsdam".

German police then boarded the ship and conducted a search. Interestingly, the ship changed its flag while still at anchor: the day before it was registered as a ship from Gambia and the next day from Mozambique.

There are no more warships.

The changed legal interpretation is not the only reason for the West's tougher stance. For years, Russia kept its warships near these tankers to protect them in case of interference. But according to security sources, the Russian Navy can no longer cope with it logistically. The "zombie tanker" "Tavian" was not even escorted by Russian warships. It has changed course and is now sailing towards the Russian North Sea./ DW