EU-sanctioned tanker without ice class makes rare late-season Arctic voyage

An EU-sanctioned product tanker with no ice-class rating is making an unusual October passage along Russia's Arctic coast, gCaptain reports. According to ship-tracking data cited by the outlet, the 21,300 dwt Dakar, built in Spain in 2004 and named Vulcano M until 2024, loaded the petrol-blending component MTBE from another tanker off South Korea and is sailing west, apparently towards Russia. The EU listed the ship in July, citing its role in carrying Russian petroleum products, and Ukraine counts it among Russia's shadow fleet. Russian rules can admit non-ice-class ships to the Northern Sea Route until 15 November, depending on ice conditions and icebreaker availability, but the eastern sections grow harder later in the season.

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