Marrakech – Spain monitored and escorted a European Union-sanctioned Russian oil tanker to Morocco after the vessel suffered engine failure in the Mediterranean. Such name and flag changes represent common practices among vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet” designed to circumvent Western sanctions. Bloomberg reported in June 2024 that Russian oil traders shifted ship-to-ship transfer operations to waters near Nador after facing pressure from Greek naval deterrence measures. In October, both countries signed a fisheries agreement allowing Russian vessels to operate in Morocco’s Atlantic waters. The episode follows France’s recent interception of the Grinch, another Russian shadow fleet tanker, and the seizure of the Boracay in September.