Russian Oil Fisco
Russian Oil Tanker Operating Under False Flag Enters Irish-Controlled Waters
An ageing Russian oil tanker, named The Blue, has been detected entering Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) amid efforts to conceal its movements. The vessel, carrying thousands of tonnes of sanctioned crude oil from near St Petersburg, began its voyage through the Baltic Sea before unexpectedly turning north. It circumnavigated the British Isles, then proceeded south along Ireland’s west coast, likely avoiding tightened inspections in the English Channel.
Authorities are particularly concerned because The Blue is flying a false flag and lacks valid insurance or safety certifications. According to maritime records, it falsely claims registration in Benin, a tactic that raises serious questions about its seaworthiness.
Maritime law grants ships the right to transit through EEZs, but it is unclear whether vessels operating under a false flag legally retain that right.
The tanker is headed to Port Said, Egypt, and is expected to pass through the Suez Canal en route to its final destination—India, which continues to import Russian oil in spite of recent U.S. tariff threats.
According to Starboard Intelligence, the ship turned off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) before entering Irish waters, making real-time tracking difficult.
At 22 years old, The Blue is part of Russia’s notorious shadow fleet, comprising vessels that smuggle sanctioned oil through European waters. These tankers are typically poorly maintained and pose high environmental risks. Notably, Greenpeace has flagged The Blue as a significant threat to the marine environment in Europe. Analysts believe more vessels are choosing the long route down Ireland’s west coast due to Ireland’s limited surveillance capabilities, compared to the UK’s intensified monitoring efforts.
In response, the Irish Coast Guard, Air Corps, and Naval Service have enacted special measures to monitor such vessels within the Irish EEZ. However, unlike the UK and Baltic countries, Ireland does not demand that passing ships verify their identity or insurance status.
Earlier this year, The Blue was sanctioned by the UK, followed by an EU listing that cited its “irregular high-risk shipping practices.”
Russia’s foreign intelligence regime has claimed that Western nations, particularly Britain, may plan a "false flag" sabotage operation at sea to justify detaining shadow-fleet vessels. This comes after NATO members pledged coordinated action against such vessels in the Baltic and North Seas.
Key Details
The Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ and Ireland’s Troubling Encounter with The Blue
On a calm August day in 2025, maritime surveillance picked up a familiar — and unwelcome — sight: a 22-year-old Russian oil tanker named The Blue quietly slipping into Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). To the untrained eye, it was just another cargo ship making its way south along the Atlantic coast.
To maritime security experts, it was a textbook example of the covert operations fueling Russia’s oil trade under international sanctions.
A False Flag and a Risky Cargo
The Blue is officially flying the flag of Benin, a West African nation that, in all likelihood, has never seen the vessel in any of its ports.
This is known as a “false flag” operation — a deliberate misrepresentation of nationality to evade inspection, insurance requirements, and potential seizure. Maritime databases reveal that the tanker carries no valid safety certificates, no verified insurance coverage, and has a history of turning off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) — a move that renders it invisible to many tracking systems.
The cargo? Thousands of tonnes of Russian crude oil shipped from near St Petersburg. This oil is subject to sanctions and price caps imposed by the EU, UK, and G7 nations. Such measures are designed to cut off funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine, but ships like The Blue are the loophole Moscow relies on.
Why Ireland’s Waters?
On paper, Ireland’s EEZ covers a vast swath of the North Atlantic. Under international maritime law, foreign ships are permitted to pass through it without hindrance, so long as they are engaged in “innocent passage.” But when the vessel in question is operating under a false flag, its right to such passage is legally murky.
The Blue’s chosen route — north around Scotland, then south down Ireland’s west coast — is telling. Instead of the shorter and more common route through the English Channel, it took a detour to avoid intensified inspections by the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Analysts point to Ireland’s relatively limited surveillance capacity as another factor, making it a convenient path for tankers looking to stay out of the spotlight.
The Shadow Fleet: Sanctions Evasion at Sea
The Blue is part of what Western intelligence agencies call the “shadow fleet” — an informal network of hundreds of aging tankers operated by shell companies, registered under flags of convenience, and used almost exclusively to transport sanctioned oil.
The vessels are often poorly maintained, with some operating decades beyond their recommended service life. Their safety records are alarming; if one of these tankers were to suffer a hull breach or grounding in the Atlantic, the environmental damage could be catastrophic.
Greenpeace and other environmental groups have repeatedly warned that shadow-fleet tankers are floating disasters waiting to happen. The Blue, in particular, has been flagged as a high environmental risk in European waters due to its age and maintenance history.
Destination: India
The tanker’s declared course leads to Port Said, Egypt, where it will enter the Suez Canal and continue toward India.
While Western nations have cut imports of Russian oil, India has significantly increased its purchases, often at steep discounts. This has been a point of geopolitical friction, especially after the United States recently threatened to impose tariffs on Indian imports of Russian crude.
Irish Response and Security Gaps
The Irish Coast Guard, Naval Service, and Air Corps are aware of the risks posed by such vessels and have introduced special monitoring measures.
However, unlike the UK, Ireland does not currently require passing vessels to prove their insurance status or verify their true flag state. Critics argue that this policy gap effectively makes Ireland’s EEZ a low-risk corridor for sanctions evaders.
Earlier this year, The Blue was sanctioned by the UK and later blacklisted by the EU for “irregular high-risk shipping practices.” These sanctions make it illegal for EU-based companies to provide services to the tanker, including insurance, port access, and technical maintenance.
A Brewing Geopolitical Storm
Moscow’s foreign intelligence agencies have accused Britain and other NATO countries of planning “false flag” sabotage operations against Russian-linked vessels to justify detentions or seizures.
This accusation follows NATO’s announcement that it would coordinate maritime enforcement efforts in the Baltic and North Seas — a move that could soon extend to the North Atlantic, potentially putting Ireland on the front line of enforcement.
The Blue’s presence in Irish waters is more than a maritime curiosity. It’s a snapshot of a global cat-and-mouse game between sanctions enforcers and sanctions evaders — one where Ireland’s vast, under-monitored maritime domain is increasingly being used as a silent transit corridor.
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