Shadow Fleet Traffic on Northern Sea Route Surges as Arctic Safety Concerns Grow

The number of shadow-fleet vessels carrying Russian oil and LNG through the Northern Sea Route has surged this summer, according to a new analysis by Bellona’s Environmental Transparency Center, raising concerns about the ability to respond to accidents in one of the world’s most remote shipping environments.

Bellona has identified more sanctioned oil tankers and LNG carriers on Russia’s Northern Sea Route in the first two months of the 2026 navigation season than during the whole of 2025, with many vessels lacking meaningful ice capability and information about accidents increasingly difficult to obtain.

The organization counted 50 shadow-fleet oil