Putin's Shadow Fleet Under Threat — 14 European Countries Want to Block It in the Baltic Sea
Fourteen European states have issued a joint warning to tankers from Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," which are used to circumvent sanctions and transport oil products through the Baltic and North Seas.
These countries stated that they would impede vessels that violate international shipping norms and sanctions — meaning those without permanent national registration, proper insurance, and safety documents, Bild writes.
A joint statement, signed by Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, states that there is a threat to the safety of international shipping from Russia. The countries listed violations, including fraudulent identification data for many vessels.
Some of the main points of the statement:
— vessels must sail under the flag of only one country and have valid safety and insurance documents,
— if they do not comply — for example, by changing flags, disabling transponders, or lacking the necessary documents — they will be treated as stateless vessels. This means that, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, warships can detain and inspect them on the high seas.
The countries also drew attention to problems with interference with satellite navigation systems, which increases the risk to maritime transport safety.
Estonian and German officials emphasize that these tankers, often old and poorly equipped, also pose an environmental threat, as they can cause accidents and marine pollution.
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