Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air released the report last week. File Image / Pixabay

Russia’s flag registry has expanded as more sanctioned vessels move under the Russian flag amid growing pressure on the global shadow fleet, according to a new report.

The registry grew 36% between January 2025 and June 2026, reaching 382 vessels from 280, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air report published on Friday.

Of the 107 vessels added during the period, 87% were already under sanctions when they switched flags.

Some 72 of the vessels transported Russian fossil fuels worth €7.5 billion globally by the end of June 2026, the report said.

The growth comes as open registries have faced pressure from the EU, UK and US to withdraw flagging services from sanctioned shadow fleet vessels.

The number of shadow vessels using false flags fell from a peak of 101 in October 2025 to 45 by June 2026. Meanwhile, monthly additions to the Russian registry dropped from 25 in December 2025 to three in June.

Only 12 vessels left the Russian registry during the period, with two later returning.

The report also highlighted the case of Russian-flagged LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz, which suffered an explosion in March and drifted uncontrolled for more than a month while carrying 60,000 tonnes of Russian LNG in the Mediterranean.

It said the incident raised concerns over Russia’s ability to fulfil its responsibilities as a flag state.
The report called for stronger enforcement of Russian-flagged vessels, increased inspections and greater use of satellite and vessel-tracking data.