Second Russian Tanker Loses Control While Entering Mediterranean Sea In A Week

A Russia-linked oil tanker carrying diesel reported a loss of control while entering the Mediterranean Sea, becoming the second vessel involved in the Russian oil trade to face navigational problems in less than a week.

The medium-range tanker Chariot Tide ran into difficulty on January 21 as it approached Tangier, Morocco, when its speed suddenly dropped to below two knots, according to vessel tracking data.

Soon after, the tanker changed its navigation status to “not under command,” meaning it was unable to manoeuvre or avoid other vessels.

A few hours later, the ship’s operational status was updated to “in casualty or repairing,” indicating ongoing technical issues.

Despite this, the tanker continued moving slowly and passed through the Strait of Gibraltar over the next two days, stopping at several points without entering any port.

By Saturday morning, the tanker had cleared the Spanish exclave of Ceuta and entered the Mediterranean Sea. It was travelling at speeds of three to four knots while still indicating it was not under command, and remained off the coast of Morocco.

After struggling to make progress in the busy waters of the western Alboran Sea for nearly a full day, the tanker changed its status to “under way using engine” on Sunday morning.

However, it continued to move eastward at speeds of under two knots, according to tracking data. For a period, the vessel was monitored by the Spanish tug Maria Zambrano.

The incident follows a similar case last week involving another tanker, Progress, which also reported being not under command while operating on a similar route.

On the same day, the French navy boarded another oil tanker involved in Russian trade and escorted it to a port near Marseille, according to third-party reports.

The close timing of the two incidents has added to concerns raised by critics about the fleet of vessels used to transport Russian oil despite Western sanctions.

Observers have warned that these ships often have unclear ownership, sail under flags of convenience and may lack proper insurance, increasing safety and environmental risks.

The 19-year-old Chariot Tide has been sanctioned by both the European Union and the United Kingdom for its involvement in transporting Russian oil. The tanker previously operated under the name Marbella Sun.

According to data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler, the vessel is carrying about 300,000 barrels of diesel, loaded at Primorsk, a Russian port on the Baltic Sea.

Vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg shows this was the tanker’s first voyage since leaving a shipyard in Turkey in November.

The tanker’s signals indicated it was heading for Tangier when it encountered the problem. Data from Kpler shows the vessel has previously delivered Russian diesel to North African ports.

The ship is managed by Clariton Shipping Ltd., registered in the Marshall Islands, according to the Equasis international shipping database, which does not provide contact details for the company.

International Registries Inc., which is affiliated with the Marshall Islands Maritime and Corporate Registries, has stated that Clariton Shipping was forcibly annulled on 7 February 2025 and is no longer an active entity.

Reference: Bloomberg

Source: Maritime Shipping News