The tanker Zircone, linked to shadow fleet fueling near Gotland, has traveled from Rotterdam and is approaching the Öresund Strait, indicating ongoing covert maritime logistics activity in the Baltic Sea region.

On August 15, 2024, the tanker Zircone, known for fueling shadow fleet vessels near Gotland, departed Rotterdam and is now about to enter the Öresund Strait. This tanker is infamous for servicing shadow fleet vessels that operate covertly in the Baltic Sea, which includes sanctioned tankers. The movement suggests continued Russian or proxy logistical support activities in the region despite recent diplomatic efforts by Baltic States and the UK to close the Baltic Sea to sanctioned vessels. Past reports indicate unusual lulls in sanctioned tanker arrivals, possibly due to weather and ice conditions, but this tanker’s movement marks a test of the effectiveness of such measures. The ongoing monitoring of this fleet reveals tensions in Baltic maritime security and hybrid-warfare-related economic pressure via sanctioned maritime logistics.