Combating the “Ghost Fleet”: Consequences for Oil Companies

Editor’s note: Context — the interception off the French coast of a tanker suspected of circumventing Western sanctions, followed by statements from Emmanuel Macron calling for a “policy of obstruction” against such vessels.]

According to Igor Yushkov, a possible intensification of efforts in Europe to combat Russia’s “ghost fleet” could come at a high cost for Russian oil companies. Tankers would have to reduce their presence in the Baltic Sea and prioritize exports southward via Novorossiysk, but export volumes are expected to decline in any case. Moreover, the “toxicity” of Russian oil could force companies to offer even more favorable prices to their foreign clients.

Expert: Igor Yushkov, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, and National Energy Security Fund.
Source: “Evropa pridumala hitryj i silʹnyj udar po rossijskoj nefti,” Vzglâd, October 3, 2025.

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