Pioneer

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' (IMO: 9333424), now called the 'Photon' and currently sailing under the Gambian flag, was actually en route from Turkey to Tangier. The 'Pioneer', 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.