The issue of oil pollution from Russian-linked vessels, referred to as the “shadow fleet,” continues to pose an environmental risk near European shores despite Western sanctions. A recent investigation highlights the limitations of current measures in controlling this fleet.
The Problem of Pollution and Accountability
An investigation using satellite footage and shipping data revealed that a number of tankers linked to Russia’s sanctions-dodging operation have continued to sail in European waters after leaving oil slicks.
- Environmental Incidents: In the past year, at least five tankers from the Russian-linked fleet have caused oil slicks near Europe. Two of these vessels had already been individually sanctioned by the United Kingdom before the spills occurred.
- Scale of the Risk: Experts warn that the poor condition, lack of adequate insurance, and opaque ownership of these vessels make them prone to accidents, including catastrophic oil spills.
- Cost and Liability: A large-scale oil spill could cost up to €1.4 billion to clean up. If the responsible vessel cannot be tracked or held accountable, this bill would likely fall to European taxpayers.
- Geopolitical Context: The G7 price cap imposed on Russian oil sales in 2022 led Moscow to increasingly rely on this growing flotilla of underinsured, older tankers to bypass sanctions and maintain its oil profits. The total shadow fleet is now estimated to number around 1,300 vessels.
Sanctions and Their Limitations
Western governments have imposed sanctions on individual vessels, but the recent incidents demonstrate the difficulty in effectively stopping the fleet’s operation.
- Sanctioning Efforts: The EU has blacklisted 444 vessels, preventing them from using EU ports or services, and the U.K. has sanctioned 450 vessels. The measures are intended to pressure the vessels’ flag states (where they are registered) to bar them from operating.
- Ineffectiveness: The new findings illustrate that the blacklisting of vessels is not stopping their trade. One example cited was a 12-kilometer slick in Spanish waters off the Bay of Biscay on November 15, 2024, left by a sanctioned tanker traveling from India to a Russian port.
- Undermining Safety: Experts suggest that the sanctions strategy, by pushing these vessels into a poorly regulated “shadow” system, is unintentionally undermining overall international shipping safety standards. This fleet now represents one-fifth of the total world’s maritime fleet.
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Source: Politico
