A sanctioned Russian tanker transferred LNG at sea near Malaysia, evading sanctions via a shadow fleet and hidden tracking.

A U.S.-sanctioned Russian tanker, the Perle, is conducting a rare open-water transfer of liquefied natural gas near Malaysian waters, according to satellite and ship-tracking data from October 18, 2025. The vessel, loaded at Russia’s sanctioned Portovaya plant, sailed around the Cape of Good Hope after months of inactivity and is now transferring LNG to another ship in international waters, likely to obscure the cargo’s origin. The Perle, managed by a Dubai-based firm linked to a known shadow-fleet hub, has stopped transmitting its location, a common evasion tactic. This operation may mark the first known instance of sanctioned Russian LNG being transferred at sea in the region, reflecting Russia’s growing efforts to bypass Western energy sanctions through complex maritime routes and reflagged vessels.