The UK Government unleashed, on 17 October, the largest package of sanctions to date against Russia‘s shadow fleet of oil tankers.
According to the UK Government, eighteen more shadow fleet ships will be barred from UK ports and unable to access world-leading British maritime services, bringing the total number of oil tankers sanctioned to forty-three. The oil tankers targeted have transported an estimated $4.9 billion in the last year alone, the UK notes.
The shadow fleet seeks to undermine sanctions and poses a clear and present danger. Environmental risks, such as oil spills, on our coastlines as a result of its flagrant violation of basic safety standards, but also risks to the security of global trade – the lifeblood of economic growth.
… said the UK Government.
Alongside action against the shadow fleet, the UK is sanctioning four more LNG tankers and a Russian gas company.
What is the dark/shadow fleet?
The “dark fleet” or “shadow fleet” comprises primarily older tankers, many of which have not undergone recent inspections and lack proper maintenance. Ownership of these vessels is often unclear, and they frequently operate without adequate insurance coverage, seeking to evade sanctions and mitigate high insurance costs.
This increases the risk of oil spill or collision. This could also result in a participating shipowner evading its liability under the relevant liability and compensation treaties.
At the European Political Community Summit in July, the Prime Minister announced the shadow fleet call to action. Currently, the US and Canada have joined 44 European countries plus the EU in working together to tackle the risks posed by the shadow fleet.
We must combat malign Russian activity at every turn, whether illicit tactics to bolster Putin’s war chest, their use of cyber-attacks or barbarism on the front line in Ukraine.
… said Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said, adding that the UK is leading the charge against Putin’s desperate and dangerous attempts to cling on to his energy revenues, with his shadow fleet placing coastlines across Europe and the world in jeopardy.
