On 26 January, staff in an office in Mumbai received an urgent email from a crew member aboard a tanker off the coast of Singapore. The message, reportedly sent on behalf of five colleagues, described unpaid wages, poor treatment, and dwindling provisions aboard a vessel identified as the Beeta.
The email caught attention because it was copied to sanctions enforcement bodies in multiple countries. The crew member claimed the Beeta was, in fact, the US-sanctioned tanker Gale, and that he and his colleagues were desperate to leave.
The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), which represents seafarers worldwide, said such incidents are increasingly common as a so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers transporting Russian and Iranian oil operates outside international rules. Estimates suggest the fleet now includes 1,468 vessels, nearly triple its size at the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, carrying about 17 percent of all seaborne crude, according to Windward AI.
Shadow vessels are often old, poorly maintained, and deliberately obscure their ownership. Flags, names, and identification numbers are frequently changed, and automatic identification systems (AIS) may be switched off or manipulated to avoid detection. Crew members, often recruited for six- to nine-month contracts, may be unaware of a ship’s sanctioned status.
Russian engineer Denis, who served on the EU- and UK-sanctioned tanker Serena, described conditions aboard the vessel as “modern-day slavery.” He said radar and life-saving equipment were nonfunctional, fire sensors were faulty, and attempts to repair a davit—a small crane used to lower lifeboats—were certified as complete by port authorities despite failing inspections.
Some vessels, known as “zombie ships,” steal the identities of decommissioned vessels to evade sanctions. The Gale, for instance, has sailed under multiple names, including Sea Shell and Beeta, using stolen IMO numbers and falsified AIS data. Satellite tracking confirmed that Beeta loaded a cargo of Iranian oil on 31 January, transferring it ship-to-ship before continuing its voyage. Analysts describe the waters off Singapore and the Riau Archipelago as an “epicentre of maritime lawlessness,” where sanctioned oil is deliberately moved through multiple vessels to hide its origin.
Crew members aboard these vessels face significant risks. Nathan Smith, an ITF inspector, said sailors are effectively held “prisoner” at sea, with little recourse for complaints or protection.
The shadow fleet raises geopolitical concerns as oil revenues from Russia and Iran continue to fund conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Western governments are debating responses, ranging from sanctions enforcement to the use of force. In January, the US intercepted the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera in international waters after a two-week chase, despite objections from Moscow.
People with obesity are at 70 percent higher risk of serious infections, with one in ten infectious disease deaths globally potentially linked to obesity, according to a new study, highlighting how human vulnerability intersects with systemic risks. On the high seas, the shadow fleet similarly demonstrates how regulatory gaps and deliberate concealment endanger workers and international security alike.
