The UK has implemented sanctions on Russian “shadow” tankers, which has been successful in reducing the amount of Russian crude oil they transport. However, many sanctioned vessels continue to operate by delivering crude to ports in non-sanctioning countries. Recently, the UK significantly expanded its sanctions list, adding 254 new vessels across three tranches in May and July 2025, bringing the total to 355. Out of these, 70 have not been sanctioned by either the EU or the US. Despite the sanctions, over half of the “shadow” tankers identified by CREA remain unsanctioned by the UK.
Impact of Sanctions on Russian Crude Trade
Over the past two years, India and China have become the largest importers of Russian crude carried by UK-sanctioned vessels. However, the EU’s 18th sanctions package, announced in July 2025, will ban the import of oil products refined from Russian crude in third countries.
CREA’s analysis focuses on 93 crude oil tankers sanctioned before May 2025. It found that after being sanctioned, these vessels still delivered 20 million tonnes of Russian crude, valued at approximately £7.3 billion, up to the end of May 2025. The average monthly volume of Russian crude unloaded by these tankers decreased by 29% after sanctions were imposed. The impact of sanctions was most pronounced on vessels loading from Baltic ports, where volumes decreased by 55%, compared to a 29% decline from Russia’s Pacific ports.
Key Findings by Destination Port
The analysis highlights the significant role of a few key ports in circumventing sanctions.
- India and China received over 57% of the Russian crude transported by UK-sanctioned vessels.
- Indian refineries processed 57% of this volume (11 million tonnes worth £4 billion), while Chinese refineries processed 42% (8 million tonnes worth £3 billion).
- India’s Sikka terminal was the single largest destination globally, receiving 33% of all Russian crude transported on UK-sanctioned tankers.
- The amount of Russian crude delivered to India by these sanctioned tankers fell by 48% after the vessels were sanctioned.
- Five key ports—Sikka, Vadinar, Mundra (in India), and Lanqiao, Dongjiakou (in China)—handled 57% of all deliveries by sanctioned vessels.
- From June 2024 to May 2025, the UK itself imported 2.6 million tonnes of refined products from Indian refineries valued at £2 billion.
Policy Recommendations
The analysis recommends two key policy changes to enhance the effectiveness of sanctions:
- Tackle the legal refining loophole: Similar to the EU, the UK should ban the import of oil products refined from Russian crude in non-sanctioning countries.
- Align sanctioned vessel lists: The UK should align its list of sanctioned vessels with those of the EU and the US to reduce the fragmentation of sanctions and strengthen their overall impact on the “shadow” fleet.
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Source: Centre For Research On Energy and Clean Air
