US moves to lift sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet could undermine Western pressure on Moscow and help fund its war in Ukraine.

The US is reportedly considering ways to convert "dark tankers" into legitimate vessels, allowing them to transport crude oil that is not subject to sanctions.

To curb Russia's oil export revenues, the US and Europe have stepped up efforts to intercept tankers accused of violating sanctionsImage: Thibaud Moritz/AFPAdvertisementSince Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has increasingly relied on a so-called shadow fleet to bypass Western sanctions and transport its oil around the world.

Other heavily sanctioned countries, including Iran and Venezuela, have also been accused of using such vessels to export petroleum products.

These tankers often rely on deceptive practices like turning off their location transponders to evade detection and conceal the cargo's true origins or destinations.

The fleet, which consists largely of aging, uninsured and poorly maintained tankers, has raised widespread concern across the shipping industry. Yet it has expanded rapidly in recent years and now accounts for nearly 19% of global oil tanker capacity, according to estimates by financial intelligence firm S&P Global.

"The shadow fleet is a scourge," Elisabeth Braw, senior fellow at the think tank Atlantic Council, said, adding that "it is in nobody's interest" to have these ships sailing around in the world's oceans.

She pointed out that these tankers undermine the maritime order and increase the risk of accidents and environmental damage.

"Every country should use its leverage with Russia to ask it not to use the fleet," she told DW, noting that ultimately all countries suffer the consequences.

To clamp down on the fleet and curb Russia's oil export revenues, the United States and European countries have stepped up efforts to intercept tankers accused of violating sanctions.

The Trump administration, however, is reportedly considering lifting sanctions on some shadow fleet vessels and allowing them to transport oil that is not subject to sanctions.

A US official told Reuters earlier this month that the move was intended to ease record-high global freight rates.

Lifting sanctions on the shadow fleet "would decrease the effectiveness of the sanctions regime overall," said Michael Carpenter, senior fellow for Transatlantic Affairs at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Such a move "rewards the aggressor and helps Moscow gain revenues to continue attacking Ukraine," he told DW.