Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker Enters English Channel
A Russian "shadow fleet" tanker has entered the English Channel for the first time since UK forces boarded the Smyrtos early on Sunday morning, according to ship tracking data reviewed by BBC Verify.
The vessel, Forwarder, a Russian-flagged ship that departed from Primorsk last week, entered the Channel on Wednesday evening and sailed southward. It is broadcasting its final destination as Dongying port in China.
Since the British troops intercepted the Smyrtos, UK-sanctioned shadow fleet vessels have avoided the Channel, with tracking data indicating several sanctioned ships altered their courses to bypass the waterway following the operation.
BBC Verify has contacted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for comment regarding the Forwarder's passage.
Ship-tracking data also appears to show a Royal Navy warship, HMS Tyne, operating near the tanker's location in the area.
Sanctions and Vessel History
Forwarder was sanctioned by the UK, the US, and the EU in 2025. Since the British government accused it of smuggling oil from Russia, the vessel has undergone two name changes.
Satellite imagery revealed that Forwarder departed Primorsk on 12 June after loading oil. Primorsk hosts the largest refinery in the Baltic Sea and serves as a critical export hub for Russia's energy industry.
Role of Shadow Fleet Tankers
Shadow fleet tankers like Forwarder have been a crucial lifeline for the Kremlin since Western sanctions targeted Russia's energy exports following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This clandestine fleet, comprising more than 700 aging tankers with often obscured ownership, is responsible for transporting approximately 75% of Russia's sanctioned oil, according to the MoD.
Naval Escorts and Recent Incidents
A Nato official previously informed BBC Verify that the Russian warship Admiral Grigorovich has been assigned to escort sanctioned oil tankers. However, it remains unclear whether this frigate is accompanying the Forwarder.
Admiral Grigorovich was involved in an incident on Tuesday when it fired warning shots toward a British yacht that had apparently approached it in the Channel.
A Nato official told BBC Verify that as of Wednesday evening, Admiral Grigorovich had not moved far from the location of the incident.
UK Policy on Boarding Sanctioned Vessels
In March, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that British armed forces "are now able to board sanctioned vessels that are passing through our waters" if they are not operating in accordance with international law. However, experts told BBC Verify that it is unlikely the UK or France would attempt to intercept the Forwarder.
"Going after vessels that are falsely flagged or misusing a flag of convenience is one thing, but this would be going after Russia directly which would be a further step up in escalation," said Frederik Van Lokeren, a former Belgian naval officer and maritime analyst.
"Since this is a Russian-flagged vessel, possibly escorted by a Russian warship, I don't expect the UK, or any other Western country, to attempt to board her," Van Lokeren added.
Details on the Smyrtos Boarding
The Smyrtos was boarded and seized by Royal Marines and officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) as it sailed without a registered flag, violating international law. The ship is currently held by UK officials off the coast of Weymouth, and its captain has been charged with contravening sanctions.
Mark Douglas, an analyst with the marine intelligence firm Starboard, noted that the circumstances surrounding the Smyrtos provided a clearer legal basis for the UK to board the vessel.
"Give that the Cameroon registry had delisted Smyrtos before she sailed through the Channel there were definitely reasonable grounds to suspect the vessel was without nationality," he said.
"Forwarder, on the other hand, is flagged by Russia and despite the opaque ownership structure we have no information to suggest that is a false flag."
Changes in Shipping Routes Post-Smyrtos Boarding
Following the Smyrtos boarding, ship-tracking data showed multiple sanctioned tankers altered their routes to avoid the English Channel. Many sanctioned vessels currently appear to be taking an alternate path around the west coast of Ireland.
In May, BBC Verify established that nearly 200 shadow fleet vessels had passed through the English Channel in the months since Sir Keir's announcement that British forces would begin intercepting some sanctioned tankers.
In at least 94 instances, shadow fleet ships briefly crossed into UK territorial waters—a zone extending up to 12 nautical miles (14 miles; 23 km) from the coast.
What do you want BBC Verify to investigate?
