Sanctioned Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Drifts Off North African Coast After Apparent Mechanical Failure

A tanker carrying a large shipment of Russian crude oil has drifted off course near the northern coast of Africa after showing signs of a possible mechanical failure, raising concerns about maritime safety and enforcement of sanctions on Russian energy exports.

The LR2 class tanker, Progress, had been sailing east toward the Suez Canal with approximately 730,000 barrels of Russian Urals crude on board. On Wednesday afternoon, after passing Algeria, the vessel abruptly altered course and headed north, leaving established shipping lanes. Early on Thursday, its navigational status was changed to not under command, while its speed dropped sharply to around one knot.

By midday Friday, the tanker was still drifting east at roughly the same speed, according to vessel tracking data.

International shipping database Equasis lists the vessel as being managed by Legacy Marine LLC, a company based in Saint Petersburg. Attempts to contact the company by phone and email received no response. The tanker is currently under European Union and United Kingdom sanctions for its involvement in the transport of Russian oil.

The vessel is 19 years old and has changed its name twice since being blacklisted in 2025. It recently switched to sailing under the Russian flag and was registered with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping in November.

Maritime analysts, cited by Bloomberg, say the sudden change in course, departure from shipping lanes, drop in speed and shift in navigational status all point to a mechanical issue. A not under command designation indicates that a vessel is unable to maneuver due to exceptional circumstances, most commonly engine or steering failure, loss of power or unexpected structural damage.

A similar incident occurred in January 2025, when another shadow fleet tanker, Eventin, drifted off the German coast under comparable conditions.

The episode comes amid heightened scrutiny of vessels linked to Russian oil exports. On Thursday, the French Navy intercepted and diverted another tanker, Grinch, which was also carrying Russian oil and traveling along a similar route toward the Suez Canal.

The drifting of the Progress underscores ongoing concerns among European authorities about aging tankers, opaque ownership structures and the environmental and navigational risks posed by vessels operating under sanctions.