The LR2-class tanker was heading east towards the Suez Canal when it unexpectedly changed course north and left its designated routes on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning, its navigation status was changed to “Not under command”, which means the ship is unable to steer and give way to other vessels.
The Progress's speed had dropped to about one knot, and at noon Friday it was still drifting east.
Troubles of the Russian Progress tanker
On the X platform, visualizations of the tanker's route and photos of the unit appeared, confirming the change of course and subsequent drift of Progress off the coast of Algeria.
Progress is a 19-year-old tanker managed by Legacy Marine from St. Petersburg. According to Equasis, the entity is blacklisted by both the EU and the UK. The ship recently changed its flag to Russian, was entered into the Russian Maritime Vessel Register in November, and has changed its name twice since being placed under sanctions.
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The Progress incident fits into the broader context of international actions against the so-called shadow fleet, i.e. a network of tankers used by Russia to transport oil despite sanctions. Recently, the media also reported on the actions of the French Navy, which boarded a tanker suspected of having a false flag and violating sanctions. An investigation was launched and the unit was transferred to another port.
The Progress tanker remains under surveillance and the situation in the Mediterranean Sea is monitored by Western maritime services.
