Dark fleet tankers push Cook Islands into world's top 30 flags

The Cook Islands has entered the top 30 ship registries, overtaking Gabon, on Clarksons Research data, Splash247 reports. The registry now holds 259 ships of 6.9 million gross tons, an expansion of 143.4% in 2024 driven mainly by older tankers joining the so-called dark fleet that carries sanctioned Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan oil. According to Splash247, the shadow tanker fleet has grown to about 700 vessels since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and the Gabon, Comoros and Guinea-Bissau registries have each more than doubled in size this year.

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