Two oil tankers sanctioned by the United States sailed through the English Channel on Thursday 8 January, as western governments stepped up scrutiny of vessels suspected of helping Russia move oil in defiance of restrictions.

The first ship, identified as Tavian, is an oil tanker of about 800 feet. Tracking data showed it passing roughly 20 miles north of Guernsey in the morning, heading towards the Gulf of Finland. Reports linked the vessel to a ship previously operating under the name Tia, which the US sanctioned in 2024.

A second tanker, Aria, followed into the Channel later in the day. US sanctions listings identify ARIA as a Barbados-flagged chemical/oil tanker linked to Russia-related sanctions programmes, with a 2009 build year and IMO 9397559. Its reported route would take it towards the Russian port of Ust-Luga via the Baltic Sea, passing close to multiple NATO and EU member states.

The Channel transits came a day after the seizure of another tanker, Marinera, in the north Atlantic. British ministers said UK forces provided support to the US-led operation, including RAF surveillance activity, as the ship moved in waters between Iceland and Scotland.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday 7 January, Defence Secretary John Healey described the seizure as part of wider enforcement efforts and said the UK was prioritising action against what it calls Russia’s “shadow fleet”. In the same statement, he told MPs the UK had sanctioned 544 vessels and that, by estimates, sanctions by the UK and partners had “forced 200 ships off the seas”. He also said Russia’s “critical oil revenues” were down 27 per cent compared with October 2024, which he described as the lowest since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on whether the UK or US intended to take action against the two tankers that sailed through the Channel, saying it would not give a running commentary on operational planning or live shipping movements.

Downing Street said Sir Keir Starmer discussed “Euro-Atlantic security” with President Donald Trump in a call on Thursday, and that both leaders agreed on the need to deter what the UK described as an increasingly aggressive Russia in the “high north” and Arctic region.

Moscow criticised the Marinera seizure and warned it could increase military and political tensions. Separately, analysts and western officials have argued that enforcement is becoming more assertive as Russia and other sanctioned states rely on complex shipping practices, including frequent renaming and reflagging, to keep oil moving.

Data cited in recent reporting suggests the scale of enforcement is widening. Maritime analysts quoted in UK coverage said the US had blacklisted 744 active tankers and the UK had sanctioned 549, with 235 vessels listed by both countries. The Guardian, citing analysis linked to Lloyd’s List, reported that the wider “shadow fleet” numbers more than 1,400 ships and that reflagging to Russia accelerated in 2025.