The 22-year-old product tanker Dakar is reportedly sailing westward along Russia’s Northern Sea Route as the Arctic navigation season approaches its end. Ship-tracking information indicates that the vessel is carrying methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a component used in gasoline blending, and appears to be heading toward Russia.

Built in Spain in 2004, the 21,300-deadweight-ton tanker reportedly received its cargo through a ship-to-ship transfer off South Korea. Available reports differ on its ice-class designation, so claims that the vessel has no ice class remain unconfirmed. Its reported direction of travel also does not establish its final destination.

The European Union placed Dakar, identified by IMO number 9251743, under sanctions effective July 24, 2026. The Council of the European Union cited the transport of Russian-origin or Russian-exported oil and mineral products, together with shipping practices it described as irregular and high-risk, as grounds for the designation.

The voyage comes amid increased tanker activity along the Arctic passage. Environmental organization Bellona reported identifying 50 shadow-fleet oil tankers during the 2026 summer–autumn season through mid-September, compared with 38 throughout 2025. Of those 50 vessels, 26 had an ice class of Ice3 or lower, or no ice class, according to its monitoring.