False flags and the companies supplying them are reported to be the latest target in the efforts to rein in the shadow fleet of tankers supporting Russia’s oil trade, reports Oil Price.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the EU is proposing to include three companies that have organized false flags in Saint Maarten, Aruba, and Curaçao for at least eight tankers.
EU to include issuers of False Flags
The sanctions, Bloomberg reports, would be part of the 19th package, which is still being discussed by the European Commission. It was previously reported that the focus of the effort would be the Russian oil and gas sector, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying it is time to turn off the imports to Europe and end the flow of money to Russia used to support the war in Ukraine.
The proposed package would advance the timeline for ending Russian LNG imports while further tightening the restrictions on Russian oil and gas. The EU has already sanctioned over 500 tankers out of an estimated fleet of nearly 1,000 vessels supporting the Russian energy sector. The new package is reported to be targeting as many as 120 additional tankers and adds the new element of targeting the providers of false flags.
The government of Sint Maarten warned in July that it was aware of “fraudulent operations promoting its supposed international flag registry and the issuance of seafarer papers.” The Netherlands issued a formal warning to the International Maritime Organization about the efforts as well.
It is noted that Sint Maarten, as well as Aruba and Curacao, are not registered with the Paris MOU and, as such, are not recognized as maintaining international registries. The government said it had first become aware of the efforts five years ago and had been working with the international authorities to stop the fraud.
The Equasis database currently lists 16 vessels as falsely claiming a flag in Sint Maarten, which is down by four since the end of July. However, it includes nine crude oil tankers, including one at 136,000 dwt and another at 160,000 dwt, as well as four product tankers.
The data shows that false flags from Aruba and Curacao are even more prevalent. Equasis lists a total of 27 vessels with a false Curacao flag. It includes a total of nine crude oil tankers (six of which are between 150,000 and 160,000 dwt) as well as nine product tankers and two LPG carriers. Aruba is shown to have 24 false flag reports with five crude oil tankers, nine product tankers, and two LPG carriers.
The Europeans have been highlighting their plans to increase efforts to further restrict the shadow fleet. France recently detained a notorious tanker on suspicion that it was operating under a false flag. Denmark this week said it would increase environmental inspections on tankers in one of its main anchorages near the entrance into the Baltic, and Sweden also reported that it would be increasing monitoring in the region.
Despite all the efforts and sanctions, the number of tankers participating in the so-called shadow fleet has continued to grow. The EU nations will have to unanimously approve the further expansion of the sanctions’ regime.
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Source: Oil Price
