Michelle Wiese Bockmann

Michelle Wiese Bockmann is a senior maritime intelligence analyst. She is newsworthy due to her expertise and warnings regarding the growing "dark fleet" of oil tankers. This fleet, estimated at 1,000 vessels, is reportedly used to circumvent sanctions, particularly those related to Russian oil. Bockmann has highlighted the geopolitical risks and potential for environmental disasters, such as billion-dollar oil spills, associated with these aging and often poorly maintained tankers. Recent events, including U.S. seizures of vessels in Venezuela and Ukrainian drone strikes in the Black Sea, are seen as a turning point in addressing the dark fleet. Her analysis is relevant as governments grapple with enforcing sanctions and mitigating the risks posed by these vessels operating with deceptive shipping practices.