Two oil tankers, branded as part of Russia’s illicit "shadow fleet" and sanctioned by the US, are currently sailing through the English Channel, brazenly testing the resolve of Western powers just days after the US seized the Marinera.

The vessels, identified as the Aria and the Tia (operating under the name Tiavan), are heading towards Russian ports. Their passage through British waters creates a diplomatic headache for London: seize them and risk escalation with Moscow, or let them pass and look weak.

The Shadow Fleet

These ships are part of a growing armada of aging, under-insured vessels used by Russia and Venezuela to bypass Western oil sanctions. They change names and flags frequently to confuse trackers.

• The Marinera Precedent: On Wednesday, US forces, with UK support, seized the Marinera in the Atlantic. Defence Secretary John Healey justified the move, saying the ship was bankrolling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• The Current Threat: The Aria is heading to the Baltic port of Ust-Luga, while the Tiavan is en route to the Gulf of Finland. Both have histories of carrying Venezuelan crude in violation of US embargoes.
• Environmental Risk: Beyond politics, these "ghost ships" pose a massive environmental threat. Often poorly maintained and lacking proper insurance, a spill in the busy Channel would be catastrophic.

A High-Stakes Game

The presence of these ships so close to the UK coast suggests Moscow is probing the limits of the new US-UK enforcement partnership. The world waits to see if the Royal Navy will intervene again.