// Free tool · v0.1 · No account

Shadow Fleet IMO Lookup

Paste a 7-digit IMO number. Get cross-list sanctions status (OFAC SDN, EU Official Journal, UK OFSI), flag history, and any documented shadow-fleet behavioural indicators on record. v0.1 lookup table is limited — the full cross-list dataset is licensed separately.

7 digits. The IMO number is printed on the vessel hull and listed on Equasis / IMO GISIS.

How this works

This tool returns hits from the [0x]INT v0.1 shadow-fleet lookup table — a curated subset built from the OFAC SDN list, EU Official Journal designations, UK OFSI consolidated list, and primary press reporting. v0.1 covers a small sample of vessels (Eagle S as the canonical example); v1.0 (planned August 2026) will cover the full deduplicated cross-list of approximately 287 vessels with daily updates.

No lookup logs are stored, no analytics, no cookies. The data file is fetched once on page load and queried in the browser.

What "shadow fleet" means

The term shadow fleet (or "dark fleet") describes ageing tankers used to move sanctioned oil — most prominently Russian crude sold above the G7 price cap — while evading the conventional insurance, flag, and ownership controls that govern mainstream shipping. These vessels are identified not only by appearing on a sanctions list but by behavioural indicators: opaque or repeatedly changing ownership, flag-hopping between flags of convenience, sailing without recognised Western P&I insurance, and AIS (transponder) gaps or spoofing around loading and ship-to-ship transfer zones. A vessel's IMO number is the one identifier that does not change when a ship is renamed, reflagged, or sold, which is why it is the reliable key for cross-list sanctions research. This Shadow Fleet IMO Lookup uses that fixed number to run a Russia sanctions cross-check — testing a tanker against multiple sanctions registries at once and flagging the behavioural patterns associated with sanctions evasion.

How to read the results

Enter the 7-digit IMO number printed on the hull (also listed on Equasis and IMO GISIS) and select Lookup. A HIT card shows the vessel name, its cross-list status across OFAC SDN, the EU Official Journal, and UK OFSI, its current flag, type and build details, any documented incidents with sources, and a plain-language verdict. A NO HIT result means the IMO is not in the current v0.1 sample — it is not a clearance, because v0.1 covers only a small curated set of vessels. Treat a hit as the start of a vessel-level investigation: confirm the listing against the primary source, then corroborate flag history and movement data before relying on the result for a compliance or insurance decision.

When to run an IMO sanctions check

A Shadow Fleet IMO Lookup is useful whenever a vessel touches a transaction you are responsible for — chartering, insuring, bunkering, port-agency work, cargo finance, or commodity trade where the goods move by sea. Because a tanker can be renamed and reflagged in days, the vessel name on a bill of lading or a charter party is a weak identifier; the 7-digit IMO number is the one key that stays constant, so it is the right field to screen against sanctions lists. Run the check before you commit to a fixture, and re-run it when a vessel changes hands or its flag, since a previously clean ship can be designated after a new sanctions package. Read any hit as the start of a vessel-level enquiry rather than a final answer, and remember that a NO HIT in this v0.1 sample is not a clearance — for a binding decision, confirm the designation against the primary OFAC, EU, or UK source and corroborate the vessel's recent movements and flag history.

FAQ

Where do I find a vessel's IMO number?
It is a permanent 7-digit number printed on the hull and superstructure and recorded on Equasis and IMO GISIS. Unlike the name or flag, it stays with the ship for life.

Does a NO HIT mean the tanker is clean?
No. The v0.1 lookup table covers only a small sample. A NO HIT means the IMO is not in that sample, not that the vessel is unsanctioned.

Which sanctions lists are checked?
The OFAC SDN list, EU Official Journal designations, and the UK OFSI consolidated list, combined with primary press reporting in the curated dataset.

How current is the data?
Each result shows a source and snapshot date. v0.1 is a limited sample; the planned v1.0 will cover the full deduplicated cross-list with daily updates.

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