Analysts Warn Russia's "Shadow Fleet" Poses Threat to Baltic See

(MENAFN) Maritime experts have issued urgent warnings that Russia's expanding "shadow fleet" of oil tankers in the Baltic Sea presents a serious and growing risk of a multibillion-dollar environmental disaster.

In July, at least 17 fully-loaded tankers were found to be operating under false flags in the Baltic, according to a Swedish broadcaster, citing data from analysis firm Windward.

Michelle Wiese Bockmann, a senior analyst at Windward, cautioned that it’s “only a matter of time before a tens of billion-dollar oil spill occurs,” stressing that the costs of such a disaster would likely fall on coastal states.

The "shadow fleet" is thought to consist of over 600 vessels, which have proliferated as Western sanctions have increasingly constrained Russia’s oil exports. Many of these tankers circumvent safety regulations by sailing without valid insurance or seaworthiness certificates, effectively rendering them stateless.

Windward revealed that some ships stripped of their registration due to sanctions or poor upkeep have been re-registered under fraudulent registries operated by letterbox companies.

“We have discovered eleven fraudulent registers used by shipping companies operating in Russia. They are just worthless pieces of paper,” Bockmann said.

While international law does not prohibit such vessels from operating, coastal nations may intervene if they identify potential risks.

Bockmann emphasized that European governments are taking action with the limited tools available to them, but added that the issue “cannot be solved overnight.”

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