Rotterdam – According to the Port of Rotterdam’s vessel information website, the tanker OLYMPIC FIGHTER (IMO 9745263) is currently berthed at Petroleum Pier 2 of the Maasvlakte Oil Terminal (MOT) in the 8th Petroleum Harbour. According to Ukraine, the vessel has been involved in transporting crude oil originating from Russia. The ship departed the port of Ust-Luga on 13 July at 01:45 and arrived in Rotterdam on 7 October at 19:05.
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Shadow Fleet
According to the Ukrainian War Sanctions website, where Ukrainian authorities actively monitor vessels associated with Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and “grey fleet,” local authorities are routinely informed whenever one of these ships calls at a European port. Ukraine subsequently asks its European partners to consider detaining or seizing the vessel.
The OLYMPIC FIGHTER was added to Ukraine’s sanctions list on 29 April 2026. On its website, the Ukrainian authorities state the following:
During the period of the G7+ oil embargo and the price cap policy on Russian oil and petroleum products, the tanker was involved in the export of Russian oil and petroleum products from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea.
Their website cites several examples:
- In January 2026, the vessel exported more than 1 million barrels of Urals crude oil from the port of Ust-Luga to India.
- In August 2025, the tanker exported nearly 735,000 barrels of Urals crude oil from the port of Primorsk to India.
- In May 2025, the vessel exported nearly 735,000 barrels of Urals crude oil from the port of Primorsk to India.
- In February 2024, the tanker exported more than 1 million barrels of Russian crude oil from the floating storage facility IMO 9196620 to China. The seller of the cargo was PJSC Gazprom.
UK, EU, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada
The European Union has not yet adopted Ukraine’s sanctions designation against the vessel. The question remains how long it may take before at least the Dutch authorities decide to detain the ship.
Ust-Luga Port
The port of Ust-Luga, located approximately 150 kilometres west of Saint Petersburg, is the largest crude oil port in both Russia and Europe. It handles approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil and petroleum products per day, while storage tanks at its terminals have a combined capacity of around 960,000 cubic metres.
In April 2026, the port was reportedly targeted by dozens of Ukrainian drones. Below is a video showing the damage the following morning.