• Russia is increasingly using African ship registries to sustain oil exports under sanctions
• Weak oversight and “flags of convenience” complicate enforcement of U.S. restrictions
• The trend highlights structural gaps in global maritime governance

African ship registries have become a key tool for Russia to sustain oil exports despite U.S. sanctions, according to a study by the Robert Lansing Institute.

What began as isolated sanction-evasion tactics has evolved into a more structured system aimed at protecting Moscow’s energy revenues. The study finds that more than half of documented cases of false maritime registration involve African jurisdictions.

The Comoros stands out, with 83 vessels claiming registration there. In Cameroon, the total tonnage registered under its maritime flag rose by 126% in one year, driven largely by the arrival of tankers linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.

These practices are complicating enforcement efforts for the United States. Tracking shipping routes, identifying beneficial owners, verifying insurance coverage, and applying secondary sanctions have all become more difficult as vessels operate under flags offering limited transparency.

Rather than simply maintaining export volumes, Russia is exposing the operational limits of sanctions by exploiting gaps in maritime registration systems and international shipping governance.

Some African registries operate increasingly as commercial platforms. They offer conditions marked by limited oversight, opaque ownership structures, and the widespread use of flags of convenience, which dilute the responsibility of flag states. For operators tied to Russia, these systems provide a way to continue activities while avoiding scrutiny.

Many of these registries are open to foreign shipowners and function as service providers. Oversight standards can vary, allowing vessels to change flags quickly and move across harder-to-track networks, especially when ownership or identity shifts frequently.

Togo has also emerged in this ecosystem. The Robert Lansing Institute describes the country as having an accessible registry associated with flag-of-convenience practices. It is also identified as a regional hub for redistributing low-cost fuel—a role highlighted in 2025 by Aliko Dangote, who warned about the impact of such flows on regional markets and competition.

In this context, African flags have become an operational lever for Russia’s shadow fleet. Once registered under foreign jurisdictions, vessels are harder to target, as enforcement requires coordination with flag states and often involves slow administrative processes.

Olivier de Souza