RUSI Maritime Sanctions Taskforce: First Meeting Report

The Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI established the RUSI Maritime Sanctions Taskforce in November 2024. In the same month, the taskforce convened its first meeting, which primarily applied a UK lens to the maritime sanctions implementation challenge, gathering experts from the maritime industry, policymakers and government representatives to discuss the growing threat posed by Russia’s shadow fleet.

This report summarises the discussions from the meeting, offering an examination of the shadow fleet’s operational intricacies, the shortcomings of existing regulatory frameworks and the strategic measures necessary to counter the fleet’s activities. The taskforce’s deliberations provided a nuanced understanding of how shadow fleets operate, and underscored the urgency of strengthening maritime sanctions to maintain the integrity of global trade and security systems.