Russia’s Sanctions Evasion Efforts Led to Black Sea Tanker Disaster
In practice, the Russian Customs Service (RCS) failed to enforce restrictions on tankers operating in the Black Sea. The Volgoneft-212’s classification documents permitted it to operate only through October 31, before harsher winter weather set in. The owner of the Volgoneft-239 listed a similar restriction through November 20.
Independent environmentalist Dmitry Lisitsyn and environmental lawyer Natalya Lisitsyna noted that the Volgoneft-239 was listed in the RCS register with vessel status “08 — Documents suspended.” This meant the tanker was not legally permitted to go to sea at all. Nevertheless, despite having invalid documents, the vessel loaded 4,300 metric tons of petroleum product at the port of Azov and then sailed off to deliver the cargo.
Vessel Status and Sanctions Evasion
The Volgoneft-239 arrived at Port Kavkaz on November 6 but received no instructions from the charterer about where to unload, remaining at the port’s Anchorage No. 453 until November 30. The vessel’s owner contacted several agencies, including the RCS, but instead of halting the operation of a ship without valid documents, the RCS said it was prepared to consider extending the vessel’s permitted operating season in the area.
Kerch Strait VTS Failure
The second authority that should have prevented the tankers from remaining at sea during a storm was the Kerch Strait Vessel Traffic Service (VTS), operated by the state-owned Rosmorport company. The service coordinates vessel movements and anchorage, requests information about ships’ navigation-area restrictions, and provides relevant information to the harbor master.
On November 18, 2024, a VTS operator allowed the Volgoneft-212 to anchor at Anchorage No. 453 outside the port’s waters. On December 3, the service approved an anchorage for the tanker in the Black Sea — outside its permitted navigation area.
Stormy Weather and Disaster
As winds intensified, both Volgoneft tankers sheltered near Cape Yantarny on the Taman Peninsula before the VTS instructed them to move to the Zavetnoye vessel shelter near Cape Takil on the Crimean Peninsula. While the ships were already underway, the service informed them that there was no room at the shelter and directed the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 to another location near Cape Takil.
On the morning of December 15, winds strengthened to 25 meters per second, and waves reached four meters. Both tankers were wrecked.
Harbor Master’s Role
The harbor master of Port Kavkaz is responsible for setting the daily schedule for vessel movements and placement in the port area. In December 2024, that position was held by Yevgeny Skorchenko.
The Volgoneft-212 submitted a prior request to be allowed to enter the port on November 18. The document noted the seasonal restrictions and the prohibition on operating in the Black Sea after October. Despite those restrictions, an employee of the State Port Control Inspectorate accepted the application, and the daily movement schedule was later approved. Neither the RCS, the VTS nor the harbor master ordered the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 out of prohibited waters, canceled their schedules, or barred them from anchoring.
Original Article: Oil on the water: How Russia avoided accountability for the Black Sea tanker disaster caused by its sanctions evasion efforts — Theins