EventAn analysis by Bellona’s Environmental Transparency Center found 50 shadow‑fleet oil tankers and 18 LNG carriers on Russia’s Northern Sea Route during the first two months of the 2026 navigation season—more than any other period since 2025. Many vessels lack adequate ice‑class ratings or are over 15 years old, and several are under sanctions. The surge has prompted longer detours and delays of up to 14 days, while Russia’s administration has stopped publishing incident reports on the route.
Bellona reports a surge of 68 sanctioned shadow‑fleet vessels on the Northern Sea Route this summer, including the Malta‑flagged Clean Vision, raising concerns about Arctic safety and limited transparency on accidents.
Shipping traffic through the Arctic is growing as operators seek routes that circumvent disruptions in the Suez Canal and Hormuz Strait, driven by the Gulf war, Red Sea disturbances, and melting ice.
Transits via the Northern Sea Route have quadrupled as melting ice makes the passage more passable, with vessels opting to avoid the Middle East.
Russia’s Northern Sea Route has seen a rise in oil and LNG traffic amid sanctions pressures, while Greenland, Denmark and the U.S. signed an updated defense agreement that expands U.S. activities at Pituffik Space Base and may increase surveillance in adjacent waters – both developments heightening the need for detailed voyage risk assessments.
Oil and LNG traffic on Russia’s Northern Sea Route has climbed sharply, with many vessels under sanctions and encountering ice‑related delays, while a new Greenland‑Denmark‑U.S. defense agreement expands U.S. military presence and surveillance in Greenlandic waters—changes that heighten risk management needs for Arctic shipping.
