Overview

• An EU working paper urges closer coordination with flag registries and consent for EU naval boarding of suspect vessels to counter sanctions evasion.
• The proposed 19th sanctions package would expand the list of ships subject to port bans and penalties from 444 to 562, pending approval by member states.
• EU assessments put the tanker network used to skirt oil restrictions at 600 to 1,400 vessels, many of them old and underinsured, raising spill and liability risks for coastal states.
• Three EU maritime missions have monitored the activity since June 2025, including Operation Aspides with participation from the German Bundeswehr.
• The document warns that some ships could be used as platforms for disruptive or espionage‑related drone launches, a concern linked to recent sightings in Denmark.