Michelle Wiese Bockmann, London-based maritime intelligence analyst & writer. Tanker tracker & subject matter expert in deceptive shipping practices, the 'dark fleet' & global trade with experience spanning 25 years across 3 continents. Views my own.https://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3mfybglzkvs22Some brief observations from the @windward-ai.bsky.social platform of the chaos in the Middle East and impact on maritime traffic. This Chinese-owned VLCC loaded and sailed through past 12 hours no problems01 Mar 2026 07:59 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfybglzkvs22https://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3mfbt2fwjjc2xhttps://windward.ai/blog/cameroon-pledges-crackdown-on-ship-registry-flagging-13-of-dark-fleet-tankers/ the game of flag governance whack-a-mole continues, although the dark fleet appears to be running out of flags, and fraudulent flags are no longer an option. haven't seen a falsely flagged tanker transit for at least a week I think. link to blog below:20 Feb 2026 09:43 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfbt2fwjjc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3mdkrxwwf6s2cWashington DC here I come! I'll be there next week for the Windward Academy, Feb 3. Link to join below: ⬇️ I'll be delivering the keynote, followed by an expert panel that will focus on designing mission-critical maritime intelligence for U.S. operational superiority. https://go.wnwd.com/windward-academy-dc-202629 Jan 2026 12:27 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdkrxwwf6s2chttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3mdcyicrh5s25I'll be in Washington DC on Feb 3 for the Windward Academy to talk maritime intelligence/dark fleet and the defining feature of 2026: the blurring of commercial and military in shipping in an increasingly fractured, uncertain and disrupted world. Link to register: https://go.wnwd.com/windward-academy-dc-2026?utm_campaign=Oktopost-2026-Windward-Academy-US&utm_content=Oktopost-LinkedIn&utm_medium=social&utm_source=LinkedIn26 Jan 2026 10:02 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdcyicrh5s25https://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3mcby2e2npc2rLIVE WEBINAR ON PREPARING FOR EU BAN ON RUSSIA-DERIVED REFINED PRODUCTS: The 'laundering loophole' is being closed, banning diesel, jet fuel, gasoline etc from refineries in Türkiye and India. On Wed. Jan 14) I'll be joining Daniel Martin to talk about what this means. https://go.wnwd.com/eus-russian-origin-crude-ban-webinar?utm_campaign=Oktopost-2026-Webinars&utm_content=Oktopost-LinkedIn&utm_medium=social&utm_source=LinkedIn13 Jan 2026 06:57 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcby2e2npc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3mbybtcf77s2hFalsely flagged, EU and US-sanctioned Ethera (IMO 9387279) flying the flag of the fraudulent registry of Guinea is sailing through the English Channel right now laden with Russian oil. more about this @windward-ai.bsky.social Maritime Defense Weekly https://windward.ai/blog/maritime-defense-weekly-week-of-january-5/09 Jan 2026 10:25 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbybtcf77s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m7rl66357k2uThe Dark Fleet, Lifeline of Sanctioned Oil Revenues, is Under Attack. Free to read @windward-ai.bsky.social blog that outlines the new and rapidly evolving strategy that's emerged to counter the dark fleet in Venezuela and the Black Sea click on link: https://windward.ai/blog/the-dark-fleet-is-under-attack/12 Dec 2025 07:33 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7rl66357k2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m7n2hv42ts2qthe risk that false flag ships pose to coastal states now playing out in a pass-the-parcel standoff between Türkiye and Bulgaria over Kairos, which was attacked by Ukrainian drone on November 28. Turkish-flag tug "purposely" towed Kairos to Bulgaria waters and cut adrift https://windward.ai/blog/ukraines-drone-war-on-dark-fleet-triggers-diplomatic-tensions-heightens-black-sea-risk/10 Dec 2025 12:24 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7n2hv42ts2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m6ys5ljlik2fthe game of flag governance whack-a-mole continues. Gambia's government follows Comoros in cleaning up the mess left by private contractors running their ship registries. Spoiler alert: Russia hijacked them to ship sanctioned oil & deliver billions in revenue for Kremlin https://windward.ai/blog/gambia-deletes-shadow-fleet-tankers-in-second-flag-governance-crackdown/02 Dec 2025 11:02 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6ys5ljlik2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m63b47eoc22lGreek-owned tankers have largely underpinned oil price cap-compliant Russian crude shipments since the start of the war. Not any more https://windward.ai/blog/greece-owned-tankers-exit-russia-crude-trades-ahead-of-u-s-sanctions-deadline/20 Nov 2025 17:09 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m63b47eoc22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m5slkw4yxc2swell worth a read via Google translate, Jakob does great work on the shadow fleet in the Baltic [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Nov 2025 06:23 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5slkw4yxc2shttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m4rzxrlvfc2gBoracay was highest-profile falsely flagged tanker we've seen so far. (~62% of @windward-ai.bsky.social' s dark fleet over 20kdwt is falsely flagged or unknown). Yet despite headlines & fact Benin-flagged tanker is unregulated, insurance invalidated etc, discharged cargo at Vadinar, India 1/1104 Nov 2025 07:43 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4rzxrlvfc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m4bgm565r22cWe're having a webinar at @windward-ai.bsky.social on Thursday to deconstruct what this means (even darker fleet as Russia mirrors Iran's tactics if this isn't a Trump TACO trade I think), & why this could be a gamechanger. no more letting Russia oil flow but stopping it. sign up below [contains quote post or other embedded content]28 Oct 2025 17:13 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4bgm565r22chttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m4b4wnsdxc2wA new OSINT source for those tracking sanctioned ships: FleetLeaks. fleetleaks.com/harmonization/. Joins outfits like Sketchy Boats and Dark Waters Initiative in shining a light on what's happening out there. As I always say: sunlight is the best disinfectant. Welcome to the club Fleetleaks! https://fleetleaks.com/harmonization/28 Oct 2025 14:20 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4b4wnsdxc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m44qvx6agk2hanother day, another fraudulent registry and another falsely flagged ship. Welcome Botswana! sanctioned LPG tanker Meda now at a Houthi-occupied port in Yemen, fourth flag change broadcast since 26/9, that's one a week, quite impressive in all the wrong ways26 Oct 2025 20:35 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m44qvx6agk2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m3rjk35qj22lthe mysterious tale of the Iran-flagged tankers that began simultaneously began signalling their AIS, then days later stopped. All covered in @windward-ai.bsky.social free-to-read blog https://windward.ai/blog/iran-flagged-tankers-briefly-end-then-resume-ais-dark-activity/22 Oct 2025 09:23 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3rjk35qj22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m3p4manyq22hToday's @windward-ai.bsky.social #shipoftheday focuses on ever-expanding sanctions on Russia LNG and a growing 'dark fleet' of ships serving these trades. caught in the crosshairs aren't just Russia-linked vessels but those with EU connections. as always, telling the bigger story 1 ship at a time [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Oct 2025 10:27 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3p4manyq22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m3n5mt7mqc24The latest @windward-ai.bsky.social Ship of the Day focuses on the dark fleet antics in the waters of one of our NATO members: Türkiye. It's dangerous. The reality isn't matching Turkiye's procedures & policies. Here's what we've found, telling the bigger story, as always, one ship at a time. [contains quote post or other embedded content]20 Oct 2025 15:40 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3n5mt7mqc24https://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m3eu6xszwk2nAnother day, another false flag, this time Zimbabwe. Russia is cycling quickly through African continent, adding to Benin, Sudan, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique . @windward-ai.bsky.social's white paper on false flags, fraudulent registries and the dark fleet can be found here: https://windward.ai/knowledge-base/false-flags-fraudulent-registries-and-the-dark-fleet/17 Oct 2025 08:29 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3eu6xszwk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m2ta4ptmos2bzombie tankers are stalking the oceans. find out about this one which I've been watching for quite a while. thinking of doing a halloween special on them! [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Oct 2025 08:15 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2ta4ptmos2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m2t6t7z7dc2banother geopolitical ripple in the tanker/oil markets from the FT https://www.ft.com/content/b97e4028-5f75-49e0-80d5-1ec63eadb0f3?desktop=true&segmentId=d8d3e364-5197-20eb-17cf-2437841d178a#myft:notification:instant-email:content10 Oct 2025 07:52 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2t6t7z7dc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/michellewb.bsky.social/post/3m22xeieh6227here's the next @windward-ai.bsky.social Ship of the Day from our series telling the stories of the dark fleet one tanker at a time.... [contains quote post or other embedded content]30 Sep 2025 16:34 +0000at://did:plc:soigwonwa2koyph6gpfsdxhm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m22xeieh6227