Stateless ships seek quick flag changes before entering European waters
- European detentions of stateless shadow fleet tankers are driving a rush to reflag before vessels enter EU waters
- Russia is preparing to ease reflagging into its register while accusing European states of exploiting registry gaps to justify detentions
- Sanctioned ships are increasingly shifting to high-risk flags such as Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone, although some registrations are quickly deemed fraudulent
European efforts to detain stateless shadow fleet tankers are prompting sanctioned vessels to scramble for new registrations before entering EU waters, shifting activity into obscure flag states and triggering a diplomatic backlash from Russia
