Suez Canal Blocked After Sanctioned Tanker Carrying Russian Oil Grounds in Key Waterway

The 150,600-dwt Komander (built 2004), a sanctioned tanker carrying Russian crude, temporarily blocked the Suez Canal after suffering an engine failure while transiting southbound at around 12:30 local time (09:30 GMT), according to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA).

The vessel, identified as part of Russia’s expanding shadow fleet, lost propulsion near the southern section of the canal and subsequently grounded. Authorities paused northbound traffic while initiating salvage operations, causing a backlog estimated at 20 vessels waiting to transit.

Komander is reportedly one of four blacklisted tankers in the same convoy under investigation for sanction-linked logistics. Its presence in the canal has further intensified scrutiny around aging, poorly insured shadow fleet vessels navigating global choke points.

Rapid Response from Canal Authorities

Tug assets were immediately dispatched, and the SCA confirmed that the grounding was resolved within hours, allowing traffic to resume. No pollution or hull breach has been reported so far, but further inspection is underway.