Phoenix

Several Russian vessels on the EU sanctions list have recently changed their names and were reflagged to maintain a low profile. A number of these shadow fleet vessels are currently sailing in European waters. The European Union (EU) maintains a sanctions list of 557 vessels affiliated with Russia or Belarus and therefore not welcome. These vessels are prohibited from entering EU ports. The Russians are attempting to evade the sanctions by reflagging and renaming vessels that are added to the sanctions list. For example, the 'Mianzimu' (IMO: 9299666), which was added to the sanctions list in 2024, was suddenly reflagged to the Gambian flag and renamed 'Dashan'. That vessel is currently sailing from Turkey to Russia. The 'Alissa' (IMO: 9273052) was renamed 'Soufia 1' and sails under the Swaziland flag. The vessel is currently in Singaporean waters. The 'Delvina' (IMO: 9331153) was formerly known as 'Galian 2' and sails under the Comoros flag. A number of vessels that have only been on the sanctions list since 2024 have been found to be operating in European waters, often under a new name and flag state. The 'Andromeda' was renamed 'Amazon' under the Omani flag. The ship is currently sailing in the North Sea en route from Russia to Egypt. The 'Marabella Sun' (IMO: 9323376), currently sailing in the North Sea en route from the port of Yalova to the Russian port of Primorsk, was re-flagged to Gambia, a flag state often used by Russia as a cover, and renamed 'Chariot Ride'. The 'Phoenix', now called the 'Photon' and currently sailing under the Gambian flag, was actually en route from Turkey to Tangier. The 'Pioneer' (IMO: 9255282), formerly the 'Futura' and briefly the 'Sehnaz Ka', is currently sailing off the coast of Norway, en route from a Russian port in the Gulf of Finland to the port of Sabetta in northern Russia and is circumnavigating Norway with an ETA as of Dec 11.

The European Union has adopted its newest sanctions package on Dec 16, 2024, at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, adding 52 new vessels, among them the 'Phoenix', to the sanctions list that have been deemed by the EU to be supporting Russia’s war machine. The vessels that have been sanctioned are primarily involved in circumventing the oil price cap mechanism implemented by the West, in arms deliveries, and in the transportation of stolen grain. This latest package has brought the total number of vessels sanctioned by the EU to 79. The majority of the vessels are involved in the transport of Russian oil and in transporting arms for the Russian military. The sanctions package also targets a total of 54 individuals and 30 entities that are deemed to be bolstering Russia’s war effort. Among them, there are also entities and individuals in China and North Korea who have been deemed to be supplying Russia with dual-use materials to support Russia’s military efforts. Two senior North Korean officials and seven Chinese individuals and companies have been targeted in the latest sanctions. The purpose of the sanctions has been defined to increase the operational costs for Russia by banning them from ports in the EU and hindering them from receiving maritime services.