More than 300 Russian shadow fleet vessel movements have been recorded in and around UK waters in the first three months of 2026, highlighting the sheer scale of activity as the government moves to strengthen enforcement powers, according to Pole Star Global.
The maritime intelligence firm reported 301 vessel events between January and March, with activity increasing each month. This comes not long after the UK government confirmed that British military and law enforcement personnel will be able to board, interdict and detain sanctioned vessels transiting UK waters, including the English Channel.
According to the data, 95 events were recorded in January, rising to 100 in February and 106 in March. Most incidents took place within the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone, accounting for 172 events, alongside 109 within territorial waters. Additional activity was identified in internal waters and at ports including Belfast, Immingham and Grangemouth.
“Sanctions have always required the credible threat of enforcement to be effective. What we are seeing now, from the US and UK to allies across Europe, is a new willingness to act on that threat,” said Alex Field, Managing Director of Pole Star Defense. “Our data shows a clear and increasing pattern of Russian shadow fleet activity in UK waters, and the government’s decision to move from listing vessels to physically intercepting them reflects a broader shift underway.”
The company’s findings come alongside wider efforts by the UK and its partners to disrupt Russia’s use of shadow fleet vessels, which are used to circumvent sanctions and sustain energy exports. The UK has sanctioned more than 500 such vessels, while similar interdiction measures have been reported among Joint Expeditionary Force allies including Finland, Sweden and Estonia.
Pole Star Global, which provides maritime intelligence and compliance tools, said the data reflects a growing operational challenge for enforcement authorities, as monitoring and targeting vessels requires accurate, near real-time tracking across busy and contested waterways, something in relatively short supply at this scale.
Size them, pump them dry, send for breakimg in Turkey, India etc. and spilt to money between blighty and Ukraine.
A new source of revenue for us and the Ukrainians, we should look to grab and impound as many of these tankers as we can. Even stopping and holding them to check insurance documents etc will have a major impact on Russia.
Drowning in adverts.
If its such a problem for you that you have to repeatedly comment on it, you could just not visit the site?
“the UK government confirmed that British military and law enforcement personnel will be able to board, interdict and detain sanctioned vessels transiting UK waters, including the English Channel”
And yet we allowed the UK sanctioned tanker VAYU 1 carrying Russian oil to sail right through the Channel..
I was going to mention that.
The day after the PMs grand announcement I believe.
Just Starmer talking tough..
He IS aware the Russians are rather prone to not only carrying small arms fur the crews, but also PMCs?