From May 19 to 21, Japan will host the G7 Summit in Hiroshima with leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States where various issues will be discussed, including sanctions against Russia.
The proposed measures will target any materials that could potentially enhance Russia’s advance against Ukraine. Sanctions are already in place, but Russia is said to have found ways to circumvent them, such as using ‘black fleet’ vessels, therefore the G7 will aim to further restrict Russia.
United Kingdom
The UK Government announced today that it sanctions 86 individuals and entities – freezing the assets of those involved with key revenue streams. Twenty four individuals and entities accused of being connected to Russia’s transport services have been sanctioned.
Sanctioned shipping companies:
This includes Pawell Shipping Co LLP, the State Grain Corporation (GZO) and their director Nikita Busel who the UK Government says are connected to the systematic theft of Ukrainian grain. The UK claimed that this grain, and other agricultural goods, has been reportedly stolen from warehouses and fields in the temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine and shipped out from Zaporizhzhia – badged as Russian goods.
To remind, two days ago it was announced that the Black Sea Grain Initiative will be expanded for another two months.
Six major Russian shipping companies have also been sanctioned. This includes Sun Ship Management, a subsidiary of Sovcomflot, Russia’s largest state-owned maritime corporation, which the UK government accuses of helping Russia avoid or mitigate the consequences of Western sanctions.
Ensuring Ukraine wins is the most important thing we can do for global peace and security.
We are banning all imports of Russian diamonds, copper, aluminium and nickel.
Sanctions are having a clear impact in degrading Putin’s war effort.
The G7 stands united with 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/rrHblLoF5K
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 19, 2023
United States
According to CNN, the US government announced stricter export controls, including substantial restrictions on essential battlefield goods, as well as over 300 new sanctions targeting individuals, corporations, boats, and planes.
Furthermore, the US will issue fresh designations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as increase its sanctions authority, to further target Russia’s economy.
Dark fleet
Despite sanctions, a ‘shadow fleet,’ or ‘dark fleet,’ has continued to deliver Russian oil, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in February. The oil revenue it generates contributes to Russia’s military aggression. The WEF had also stated that achieving greater agreement on executing sanctions might help to restrict this non-Western-aligned supply chain.
The dangerous practice of ship-to-ship transfers in the open ocean by dark fleet vessels, as well as the methods used to obscure ship identities and turning off AIS transponders, were discussed by the IMO Legal Committee, 110th session, 21-26 March, 2023. The Committee was informed that a fleet of between 300 and 600 tankers were currently operated as a ‘dark fleet’.
According to international news, a dark fleet tanker called Canis Power broke down recently in the Baltic Sea. The tanker suffered engine failure on Monday in Danish waters, while it was loaded with up to 340,000 barrels of oil. Evidently, this poses a great environmental risk. The IMO Committee had broadly supported the recommended measures outlined in the original submission, including:
- Flag States were called upon to ensure that tankers under their flag adhere to measures which lawfully prohibit or regulate ship-to-ship transfers.
- Flag States should consider requiring that vessels update their ship-to-ship operations manuals to include notifying their flag State when they are engaged in a mid-ocean operation.
- Port States should consider subjecting such vessels to enhanced inspections as authorized, and notifying the respective vessel’s flag administration, as appropriate.
