Albania bars Russian shadow-fleet tanker HANUMAN from Durrës port
Albania refused entry to the port of Durrës to the tanker HANUMAN, which Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) identifies as part of Russia's shadow fleet, on 29 August. HUR publicly disclosed the decision on 4 September, describing it as evidence of international sanctions solidarity. HANUMAN has exported at least 452,000 tonnes of Russian fuel since the start of 2025, according to HUR.
Key points
- Albania denied the oil tanker HANUMAN entry to the port of Durrës on 29 August.
- Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) publicly disclosed the decision on 4 September and called it evidence of international sanctions solidarity.
- Since the start of 2025, HANUMAN has exported at least 452,000 tonnes of Russian fuel, sailing from Novorossiysk to Turkey, Senegal, the UAE and a transshipment area near Augusta, Italy.
- HUR added HANUMAN to the War&Sanctions database as an active shadow-fleet vessel on 26 January.
- Logistics for HANUMAN were handled by Russia's LLC "Altoprae Marine," based in Novorossiysk, which HUR says was founded and is managed by a top manager linked to sanctioned oligarch Gennady Timchenko.
- Altoprae Marine also services sanctioned tankers EVENTIN (IMO 9308065) and CORDELIA MOON/WALRUS (IMO 9297888), both linked to environmental-safety incidents, and works with vessels of LLC "Rosewood Shipping," associated with Oksana Marchenko, described as the wife of Viktor Medvedchuk.
- On 31 August, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas reported that EU forces had stopped a tanker believed to belong to Russia's shadow fleet; the previous week the UK Royal Navy observed four Russian vessels passing through UK waters.
Why it matters
The decision shows a Western Balkan state carrying out port-level enforcement against a vessel linked to Russia's sanctions-evasion network, and highlights HUR's growing practice of publicly tagging individual shadow-fleet tankers to prompt denial of port access abroad. It also fits a broader recent pattern of maritime actions, including an EU-reported tanker stop on 31 August and a Royal Navy observation operation in UK waters the previous week, pointing to tighter Western pressure on the logistics chains that finance Russia's war effort.
What happened
On 29 August, Albanian authorities refused entry to the port of Durrës to the oil tanker HANUMAN, which HUR had added to its War&Sanctions database on 26 January as an active participant in Russia's shadow fleet. HUR publicly disclosed the Albanian decision on 4 September, framing it as evidence of international sanctions solidarity. According to HUR, HANUMAN has exported at least 452,000 tonnes of Russian fuel since the beginning of 2025, operating routes from Novorossiysk to Turkey, Senegal, the UAE and a transshipment zone near Augusta, Italy. Logistical support was provided by LLC "Altoprae Marine," a Novorossiysk-based company that HUR says was founded and run by a top manager linked to sanctioned Russian oligarch Gennady Timchenko, a close associate of Vladimir Putin. Altoprae Marine also services sanctioned tankers EVENTIN (IMO 9308065) and CORDELIA MOON/WALRUS (IMO 9297888), both linked to environmental-safety incidents, and works with vessels of LLC "Rosewood Shipping," associated with Oksana Marchenko, described as the wife of Viktor Medvedchuk.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
All four supplied sources are Ukrainian and present the story through HUR's lens, casting Albania's refusal as sanctions solidarity and emphasizing HANUMAN's role in Russia's shadow fleet. Ukrainian-language outlets headline the refusal itself, while Russian-language coverage foregrounds the Kremlin connection, linking the tanker to Timchenko, an associate of Vladimir Putin.
Where reporting differs
Sources disagree on the year of HANUMAN's addition to the War&Sanctions database: some give 26 January without specifying the year, and one specifies 26 January 2026. There is also variation in how the Albanian refusal is dated, with some accounts citing 29 August and one citing 29 August 2026; HUR's public disclosure is dated 4 September.
Background
Russia's so-called shadow fleet consists of tankers that use deceptive practices — switching off trackers, performing dangerous maneuvers and often failing to meet modern environmental standards — to evade sanctions on Russian oil exports. The EU has continued measures aimed at the fleet to limit oil revenues financing Russia's war effort. On 31 August, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas reported that EU forces had stopped a tanker believed to belong to the shadow fleet, and the previous week the UK Royal Navy conducted a three-day operation observing four Russian vessels transiting from the North Sea to the English Channel.