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?
We can only hope.
“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.
Oh come on, they haven’t set up the appropriate Committee yet.
Just Starmer talking tough..
He IS aware the Russians are rather prone to not only carrying small arms fur the crews, but also PMCs?
And where are they going to park seized Russian ships? And what will you do with the crew? Who pays for their repatriation? Is stealing “sanctioned oil” for your own use or on-reselling even legal? What ships are the RN going to use? Any available? Might need an extra B2 or two or three around the UK. If this escalates expect the Russian’s to use this for an excuse for further response. Is the UK ready for that? Luckily we have NATO allies around with their assets.
If only we had ships for our Marines eh.
Could we borrow the Gosport Ferry?
Glad the 🇬🇧 humour is still intact! That’ll defeat anybody!! 🤣
Different situation but down here in Aus last year we had the Chinese Navy circumnavigate the continent which caused a bit of an uproar, initially catching authorities guard but all done in international waters. Like the RN the RAN is strengthening and increasing in masse and hopefully RNZN too. All needed yesterday.
I dont believe that the British government has any real policy on this. What this is is a PR exercise to cover both the massive decline in Royal Navy capability and Europe’s general impotence in the face of Donald Trump. For goodness sake, the man who has been UK defence secretary for nearly two years doesnt even know how many ships the Royal Navy has! Does this sound like a government that has a serious approach on any of this? What is frightening however is that the Russians WILL have a serious approach on this and that could well lead to some stumbling disaster.
Yes, these Russian oil tankers could potentially be used as a an environmental weapon, causing mass pollution, or an oversized drone deliberately exploded and used for inhibiting blocking safe passage in out of ports or lanes. How are the authorities going to handle something like that? And commercial container ships could well have containerised weapons. Where are those Konesburg type ships they talk about for the RN or some BMT Venari 85s? Can’t just leave it to three B1s and some drones.
And right on cue, NL article saying B1 Rivers are being sold to Uruguay!! Any 1 for 1 replacements in sight? Using the B2 Rivers for UK regional patrol means less available for elsewhere until T31s come. Is that the plan?