EU Steps Up Dark Fleet Enforcement with Vessel Boardings, New Designations, and LNG Carrier Sales Restrictions
The European Union has taken a significant step in its efforts to curb the shadow fleet of vessels involved in circumventing international sanctions against Russia. The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced that Operation Irini, the EU’s Mediterranean naval mission, has started boarding shadow fleet vessels as well.
“Our Operation Irini has changed the rules of engagement and has now started boarding shadow fleet vessels as well,” Kallas said on the sidelines of an informal meeting of the bloc’s defence ministers. “The idea is to change the best practices, what different countries are doing with those ships, because it is really posing a danger, and of course, also the idea is to curb Russia from the funding of this war.”
France, the UK, and Sweden have recently boarded tankers as part of their efforts to enforce international sanctions. The EU’s Mediterranean naval mission was launched in March 2020 with the primary objective of enforcing the UN arms embargo on Libya through aerial, satellite, and maritime surveillance assets. Its mandate has since expanded.
Boardings and Enforcement
The force announced that it carried out a flag-verification boarding of EU-sanctioned tanker Sandhya while conducting monitoring and surveillance activities in the Mediterranean on 7 June. Kpler senior risk and compliance analyst Dimitris Ampatzidis told Riviera that the expansion of Operation Irini could add a more practical layer of oversight and enforcement against the shadow fleet.
“The ability to conduct boardings, even in selected cases, could have a deterrent effect and demonstrate that the EU is willing to move towards more active enforcement at sea,” he said. A boarding can also help authorities gather more specific evidence regarding cargoes, vessel flags, documentation, insurance coverage, and potential irregularities.
However, Ampatzidis cautioned that the effectiveness of such measures would depend on how targeted their implementation is, the quality of intelligence available before inspections, and whether findings can ultimately lead to meaningful sanctions or restrictions. “In short, it could be a useful tool for more active enforcement and better evidence gathering, but it would not by itself be sufficient to significantly reduce the shadow fleet overall,” he said.
New Sanctions Package
Meanwhile, the EU has moved forward with its proposed 21st sanctions package against Russia. Among the measures proposed is a temporary suspension of the Russian oil price cap. “Our oil price cap has a built-in adjustment mechanism designed to follow market developments. It was not made for market shocks like the one caused by the closure of the Strait in Hormuz,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“So we propose to simply pause the adjustment until January next year. This will give oil markets time to stabilise while preserving pressure on Russia’s revenues,” she added. The EU is also proposing sanctions against an additional 30 vessels, on top of the 632 already designated.
“For the first time, we are also targeting vessels that support the shadow fleet by providing bunkering and other services,” Ms von der Leyen said. In addition, the EU is proposing restrictions on the sale of LNG carriers to Russia, mirroring measures previously introduced for oil tankers. The bloc’s 20th sanctions package already introduced mandatory due-diligence requirements for tanker sales.
Iran Targeted Over Hormuz Control
In another sanctions-related development, the European Council approved restrictive measures against two individuals and one entity involved in actions that, according to the EU, threaten freedom of navigation in the Middle East. The Council specifically designated the Hormozgan Provincial Command of the already EU-listed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN).
Original Article: EU steps up dark fleet enforcement with vessel boardings, new designations and LNG carrier sales restrictions — Rivieramm