In a dramatic operation off the Venezuelan coast, the U.S. military’s intervention on the oil tanker MT SKIPPER has drawn attention to a widespread but often overlooked issue within the global oil industry. This incident underscores the ineffective nature of sanctions against oil from nations like Venezuela and Iran. For years, these restrictions have been easily bypassed by stateless ships that transport significant quantities of illicit oil. These vessels engage in a process known as “laundering,” where they transfer the illegal oil to non-sanctioned tankers. Subsequently, these tankers deliver the oil to receptive ports, primarily in China, where it undergoes refinement.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has meticulously documented the operations of MT SKIPPER in a comprehensive report. This case study of a single vessel highlights a much larger problem, as there are hundreds of similar ships actively evading sanctions worldwide. These vessels not only carry oil but also transport military equipment and other contraband, skillfully navigating the complex web of national and international restrictions.

Data from TankerTrackers reveals the existence of approximately 397 “dark fleet” tankers currently engaged in these clandestine operations. These tankers, which include a substantial number of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) and Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCC), commonly referred to as “supertankers,” number around 143 and play a significant role in this shadowy network.

Map from @MarineTraffic showing the current traffic of all santioned and shadow tankers around the globe.#sanctions #marinetraffic #kpler #shadowfleet pic.twitter.com/btrfDLWfde

— Nikos Pothitakis (@nikospoth) December 11, 2025

According to TankerTrackers, there are 397 so-called “dark fleet” tankers currently in operation.

Some Dark Fleet stats regarding the Venezuelan oil trade which we’ll summarize here for the press as our mailbox resembles a trainwreck right now:

Total: 397 active tankers

Size class breakdown:

– VLCC/ULCC: 143
– Suezmax: 73
– Aframax: 111
– Panamax: 23
– Handies: 47…

— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) December 11, 2025

Let me translate

– VLCC/ULCC aka “supertankers”: Quantity 143

The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) and Ultra-Large Crude Carrier (ULCC) were added as the global oil trade expanded and larger vessels provided better economics for crude shipments. VLCCs are responsible for most crude oil shipments around the globe, including in the North Sea, home of the crude oil price benchmark Brent. A VLCC can carry between 1.9 million and 2.2 million barrels of a WTI type crude oil. With current WTI prices near $92 per barrel, a fully loaded VLCC could carry about $100 million dollars’ worth of crude oil.

– Suezmax: Quantity 73

The largest ships that can transit the Suez Canal, these tankers are some 275 metres (900 feet) long and have a capacity of 120,000 to 200,000 dwt. They carry about 800,000 to more than 1,000,000 barrels.

– Aframax: Quantity 111

The maximum size of vessel to use the Average Freight Rate Assessment method for calculating shipping rates, these tankers are around 240 metres (790 feet) long and have capacities of 80,000 to 120,000 dwt. They carry roughly 500,000 to 800,000 barrels.

Panamax: Quantity 23

The maximum size that can transit the Panama Canal, these tankers range in length between 200 and 250 metres (650 and 820 feet) and have capacities of 50,000 to 80,000 dwt. They carry 350,000 to 500,000 barrels.

Handies: Quantity 47

These ships have capacities of less than 50,000 dwt and lengths up to approximately 200 metres (650 feet).

As if to emphasize just how common the “dark fleet” really is, as the U.S. was seizing the MT SKIPPER, seven other VLCC-class tankers were operating in the Caribbean.

There are 8 OFAC sanctioned VLCCs currently off the coast of Venezuela, including Skipper (which was seized yesterday, IMO # 9304667). pic.twitter.com/t2tBLol2kV

— Ed Finley–Richardson (@ed_fin) December 11, 2025

MT SKIPPER has a very opaque ownership.

MarineTraffic lists the beneficial owner and operator as Nigeria-based Thomarose Global Ventures Ltd and it lists the registered owner as Marshall Islands-based Triton Navigation Corp.

In 2022, the US Treasury said that Triton was being used by a sanctioned Russian oil magnate – Viktor Artemov – to facilitate a global “oil smuggling network”.

At the time, US officials said Mr Artemov used an expansive network of ships often registered obscurely to transport Iranian oil.

In its statement, the US Treasury said that Triton had “materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Artemov”.

It is owned by a company based in the Marshall Islands and leased to a Nigerian company. It is registered in Panama but sailed under a false Guyana flag. The owner is affiliated, according to U.S. government documents, with a sanctioned Swiss-based Ukrainian oligarch closely tied to smuggling oil to Iran and Hezbollah.

Tanker that US seized off Venezuela is owned by Donetsk-born Ukrainian citizen Viktor Artemov in Switzerland, accused of illicitly shipping fuel for secessionist Donetsk People’s Republic Ministry of Defense in Russian-occupied Ukraine. https://t.co/hpXyaPB1nb

— J Michael Waller (@JMichaelWaller) December 12, 2025

RedState has coverage of the takedown of MT SKIPPER, including its history of spoofing its automatic Identification system (AIS) signal to disguise its location from anything but satellites. Here is an image of SKIPPER taking on its load of oil in Venezuela.

SKIPPER (9304667) in hi-res. Nothing escapes @planet pic.twitter.com/6WXLUIczuJ

— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) December 11, 2025

BACKGROUND:

U.S. Seizes Massive Venezuelan Tanker: Trump Teases More (Updated) – RedState