It is reported that the Royal Navy is considering a drone flotilla to collect intelligence on Moscow’s alleged “shadow fleet”
The Sunday Times reported that Britain is planning to launch a seaborne drone fleet to capture oil tankers it claims are associated with what it terms a Russian “shadow fleet.”
In 2022, London prohibited the import of Russian crude and oil products, along with related maritime transportation, insurance, and financing, imposing sanctions on over 500 vessels.
Despite these measures, Moscow has legally shipped 550 million tonnes of oil through the English Channel, with an estimated value of $326 billion, according to the outlet, which stated that the sanctions are “not having the desired effect.” At the same time, Politico reported that an estimated 40% of the diesel-grade petroleum products the UK imported from India and Türkiye over four years originated from Russian oil.
The Royal Navy has drawn up proposals for a command center for a remotely piloted flotilla of unmanned boats to patrol the North Sea. The drones are intended to gather evidence of “illicit activities” by tankers traveling to and from Russian ports, which would serve as the basis for seizing the vessels in the English Channel outright.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation, Western powers lack a clear legal basis to enforce sanctions against cargo on the high seas.
Despite this, two tankers have been seized so far this year: the Marinera by the US with UK support in the North Atlantic, and the Grinch by France in the Mediterranean. British Defense Secretary John Healey confirmed later that the two allies were coordinating to detain more vessels.
The Sunday Times noted, however, that the plan faces a significant financial obstacle, as holding seized tankers incurs high costs. To help offset this, London is reportedly considering selling the oil from impounded vessels.
Russian officials have consistently criticized tanker seizures as a “flagrant violation” of international maritime law. President Vladimir Putin last October called France’s detention of a vessel in neutral waters “piracy.” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously characterized piracy as “one of the English traditions,” adding that historically pirates were forbidden to attack English ships but were allowed to plunder rival vessels.