Financial Times reports that, as Russia tightens control of its shadow fleet to
shield vessels from attacks, ships in the Black Sea are using an unusual,
apparently coordinated AIS spoofing system to conceal voyages. UCL shadow-fleet
tracker Ollie Ballinger says at least 12 sanctioned tankers appear to use
identical equipment, transmitting fixed false positions even when the vessels
are hundreds of miles away; six of the 12 simultaneously broadcast two AIS
position sets, appearing in two locations at once. Lloyd’s List Intelligence
research director Bridget Diakun says this likely forms part of a broader
Russian effort to protect assets as the EU increases interventions against
sanctioned ships and Ukraine steps up attempts to disrupt Russian oil exports.
