US Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill Targeting Russia’s 'Ghost Fleet' for Oil Sanctions

US Senators Joni Ernst (R) and Richard Blumenthal (D) have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at enforcing sanctions against the so-called ‘ghost fleet’ of tankers used by Russia—and, by extension, Iran—to bypass Western oil sanctions. The legislation, reported on April 9, 2025 by Reuters, would establish a $150 million Russian Sanctions Enforcement Fund at the U.S. Treasury and set up an export enforcement coordination center under the Department of Homeland Security.

Under the bill, oil confiscated from vessels circumventing sanctions could be sold, with any excess proceeds directed toward reducing the U.S. federal debt, even though this impact would be minor compared to the nation’s $36 trillion debt. The move comes as part of broader efforts to address evasion tactics, such as the use of false flags and registry switching, which allow sanctioned players to continue trading oil with major buyers like China and India.