The European Union has adopted its 18th package of sanctions against Russia, with significant measures targeting the maritime sector and Russia’s shadow fleet operations that have been circumventing previous restrictions.

In one of the most extensive maritime components of EU sanctions to date, an additional 105 vessels will now be subject to port access bans and prohibited from receiving a broad range of maritime transport services. This brings the total number of listed vessels to 444.

“The EU just approved one of its strongest sanctions packages against Russia to date. Each sanction weakens Russia’s ability to wage war,” said Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and chair of the Foreign Affairs Council.

The new measures specifically target non-EU tankers that form part of Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet—vessels that have been circumventing the oil price cap mechanism, supporting Russia’s energy sector, or transporting military equipment and stolen Ukrainian grain.

For the first time, the EU has extended sanctions to include the captain of a shadow fleet vessel and a private operator of an international flag registry. Full-fledged sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans now target Russian and international companies managing shadow fleet vessels, as well as traders of Russian crude oil.

The package also addresses third-country enablers, specifically sanctioning “a major customer of the shadow fleet – a refinery in India with Rosneft as its main shareholder.”

In addition to vessel-specific measures, the EU is lowering the price cap for Russian crude oil from US $60 to US $47.6 per barrel and introducing an automatic mechanism to keep the cap aligned with global oil prices. This adjustment targets a revenue stream that still represents one-third of the Russian government’s income.

The EU is also introducing an import ban on refined petroleum products made from Russian crude oil coming from third countries, with exceptions for Canada, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. This measure aims to prevent Russian oil from reaching EU markets through indirect routes.

A full transaction ban has also been imposed on Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, preventing their completion, maintenance, operation, or any future use.

These maritime and energy sector restrictions are part of a broader sanctions package that also targets Russia’s banking system, military industry, and includes measures against Belarus.

“The message is clear: Europe will not back down in its support for Ukraine. The EU will keep raising the pressure until Russia ends its war,” Kallas emphasized.

The relevant legal acts are expected to be published soon in the Official Journal of the EU.