French admiral Benoit de Guibert estimated that the phantom fleet used by Russia, Iran and North Korea to transport oil could number around 900 ships.

Addressing MEPs, Admiral Benoit de Guibert told MEPs that the clandestine fleet, which helps circumvent international sanctions, includes some 900 ships, some of which are monitored daily. This fleet not only affects Russian interests, but also those of Iran and North Korea. The European Commission is proposing additional sanctions, adding 70 tankers to the existing list. The admiral pointed out that these ships, usually old and with hard-to-identify operators, take advantage of loopholes in international maritime law.