By Jov Onsat| rigzone.com |Twelve countries surrounding the Baltic Sea and the North Sea have jointly agreed on “further action” to ward off Russia’s alleged “shadow fleet.”
“We are united in our shared determination to take further coordinated steps to disrupt and deter Russia’s shadow fleet, confront the risks it poses, work together to prevent illegal operations and raise Russia’s costs”, said a joint statement by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland and Estonia will require “suspected shadow vessels” to show proof of insurance as they traverse the English Channel, the Danish Straits of the Great Belt, the Sound between Denmark and Sweden, and the Gulf of Finland, said the statement published online.
“Information collected by the participating states, including relating to those vessels that choose not to respond to requests [for proof of insurance], will be assessed and acted upon together with our international partners”, the statement added.
“The shadow fleet presents risks to the environment, maritime safety and security, international seaborne trade, as well as international maritime law and standards”, the countries said. “It also works to circumvent our sanctions and soften their impact.
North Sea Map
“As Coastal States located around the sensitive waters of the Baltic and North Seas, we are particularly exposed to those risks.
“At the same time, our respective geographies enable us to expose malign maritime activity and confront the risks it poses, consistent with our respective legal systems and international law.”
On Sunday, storm damage to two tankers resulted in an oil spill in the Black Sea, Russian government-run news agency TASS reported, citing the Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport. According to Reuters, certificates showed that Volgoneft 212 was built in 1969 and Volgoneft 239 in 1973.
A “shadow fleet” or “dark fleet” refers to ships that circumvent sanctions, breach safety and environmental regulations, avoid insurance costs, or engage in other illegal activities, according to a definition adopted in a resolution by the International Maritime Organization on December 6, 2023.
The European Union and the United States have said Russia’s shadow fleet serves its war machine in Ukraine by aiding the Russian energy trade or carrying weaponry for Russia.
The 12 Baltic and Nordic nations added, “Those shadow fleet vessels and their enablers should be in no doubt: we are determined to hold them to account – including through sanctions-related action – for the risks they pose and the support they are providing to Russia’s war against Ukraine”.
Alexander Brandt, a partner at Reed Smith Transportation Industry Group, said of the joint crackdown, “The UK has sought to take a measured approach, attempting to strike a balance between enforcement and adherence to international maritime law, including the rights of straits passage under Unclos [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea]”.
“This strategy seems intended to preserve vital supply chains but also gathers valuable intelligence on shadow fleet operations, feeding into potential sanction designations”, Brandt said in the comment sent by the advisory firm to Rigzone.
“By maintaining this delicate balance, Europe’s coordinated stance may begin to yield results, disrupting clandestine operators without jeopardizing global trade flows”, Brandt added. “While its ultimate impact remains to be seen, this move signals that the authorities will continue efforts to clamp down on evasion tactics.”
Rigzone has emailed a comment request to the Russian government.
To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
