EU Proposes Sanctions on Companies Supporting Russia’s Shadow Fleet
The European Union has proposed imposing sanctions on three companies that provided false registration certificates under the flags of Aruba, Curacao, and St. Maarten to tankers of Russia’s “shadow fleet”. This was reported by Bloomberg with reference to relevant documents.
These organizations have facilitated registration under false flags for at least eight sanctioned vessels. Notably, none of the three territories is listed in the Paris Register of Official Flags, indicating they do not provide legitimate registration services.
The restrictions may be included in the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia, currently under discussion. This package is expected to encompass restrictions on approximately 120 additional shadow fleet vessels (bringing the total to over 560) and on several entities in third countries that enable Russia to trade energy resources.
The EU’s Strategy Against the Shadow Fleet
The proposed sanctions aim to combat Russia’s use of false flags, which allows its tankers to evade international sanctions and operate in global markets. The EU’s actions are viewed as a significant step in addressing the shadow fleet, a network of tankers that operate under various flags, often without proper registration or inspection.
This initiative is part of the EU’s broader strategy to impose economic costs on Russia for its actions in Ukraine. The bloc has been increasingly vocal about its concerns regarding Russia’s tactics to circumvent sanctions, having imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russian individuals and entities involved in the shadow fleet.
Conclusion
The proposed sanctions on companies providing false registration certificates to Russian shadow fleet vessels represent a critical development in the EU’s efforts to prevent Russia from evading international sanctions and continuing its operations in global markets.
Original Article: “Shadow fleet” under false flags. EU wants to impose sanctions on three firms – Bloomberg — Liga