Report: India Turned Away Shadow Fleet Tanker Laden with Russian Oil

While remaining the largest customer for Russian oil, India has had a spotty relationship with the shadow fleet and several times cracked down or responded to Western sanctions. In the latest effort, however, India reportedly turned away a shadow fleet tanker over improper documentation. 

The crude oil tanker Andaman Skies (111,000 dwt) is currently loitering in the Arabian Sea between India and Oman after being turned away from the oil terminal at Vadinar reports Reuters. In its reporting, it said the vessel which was due to arrive on Thursday, March 27, laden with approximately 100,000 metric tons of Russian crude would be turned away.

Built in 2004, the vessel has now completed 20 years of service which is an important threshold under Indian regulations. Both Reuters and Bloomberg are reporting the vessel which is managed from India was turned away because it lacked seaworthiness certificates from a recognized source. India requires additional documentation from the older vessels.

The vessel was sold by Delta Tankers of Greece in 2023 with the ownership registered in India. The tanker had last called at an Indian port in December according to Bloomberg. Typical of a shadow fleet vessel, the Equasis database reports it was registered in 2023 in the Cook Islands but switched flags again in 2024. Equasis and Bloomberg report the ship is operating under the flag of Honduras while Reuters and Marine Traffic say it is now under the flag of Tanzania. 

Bloomberg reports the tanker has P&I insurance from a Russian company, Soglasie, while Equasis lists its last surveys done in late 2024 by the China Classification Society but class was withdrawn in February 2025 for other reasons. Both news outlets report that Indian sources said the vessel is now being certified by the Dakar Class, which is not recognized in India.

Andaman Skies has been targeted by the West for its involvement in the Russian trade. Both the UK and EU have listed the vessel in their sanctions. However, the U.S. and the UN have not designated the vessel creating another loophole. India has promised not to import oil on sanctioned tankers but only recognizes the UN designations.

Reports indicate that as much as 35 percent of India’s overall crude oil imports came from Russia in 2024.