Windward: Dark Fleet Gaps Demand Shared All-Source Maritime Picture
Indo-Pacific – – October 27, 2026 -- Russia reflagged 84 dark fleet tankers to its own registry in Q3 2026, more than four times the Q2 figure, according to Windward's Q3 2026 Maritime Risk Report. The maritime intelligence provider argues that allied navies and coast guards cannot counter such activity while each partner works from a separate slice of the picture.
Russia now flags 223 tankers, 18% of the total
One in three Aframax tankers worldwide now sits in the dark fleet, per the report. These vessels cross theaters routinely. Iranian crude loaded in the Gulf is commonly transferred ship to ship off Malaysia's Johor coast, roughly halfway between Iran and China, which buys about 90% of Iranian oil. One cargo can pass through CENTCOM and INDOPACOM and several national jurisdictions before discharge, and no single partner sees the whole route.