An oil tanker under EU and UK sanctions for transporting Russian oil is being escorted to the Moroccan port of Tanger Med by a Spanish rescue vessel after suffering engine failure off Spain’s southern coast.
The ship, Chariot Tide, sailing under a Mozambique flag and formerly known as the Marabella Sun, has been on the EU sanctions list since November 2024 for assisting Russian oil exports while engaging in what officials describe as irregular and high-risk shipping practices.
Spain’s Merchant Marine said the tanker broke down on 22 January and was left drifting without propulsion in international waters about 33 miles south of Adra, within Spain’s search-and-rescue zone.
The maritime rescue ship Clara Campoamor is now guiding it to port, though authorities have not explained why the vessel was not seized. Morocco’s port authority has yet to comment.
Chariot Tide is part of a vast “shadow fleet” of an estimated 1,200 to 1,600 tankers used by Russia and other sanctioned states such as Iran and Venezuela to move oil beyond the reach of Western restrictions.
These vessels are often ageing, poorly insured and run through opaque ownership structures, frequently manipulating tracking systems and changing flags to avoid detection.
European maritime nations have warned that such practices pose growing safety and environmental risks.
Morocco, a key US ally that maintains close relations with Moscow, recently signed a fisheries agreement allowing Russian vessels access to its Atlantic waters, adding another layer of geopolitical complexity to the tanker’s arrival.