UK Threatens to Seize Russia-Linked Shadow Fleet Tanker
The UK is threatening to seize a Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in an escalatory move that could lead to the opening up of a new front against Moscow at a time when the country’s oil revenues are tumbling. British defence sources confirmed that military options to capture a rogue ship had been identified in discussions involving Nato allies – though a month has gone by since the US-led seizure of a Russian tanker in the Atlantic.
Shadow Fleet Grows to 600 Vessels, World Bank Reports
In January, 23 shadow fleet ships using false or fraudulent flags were spotted in the Channel or Baltic Sea, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Many are linked to the export of Russian oil, largely by water to China, India and Turkey. A joint statement signed by the UK, Germany, France and other Nato countries bordering the Baltic and North seas late last month said all vessels sailing through either region should “strictly comply with applicable international law”. But despite setting conditions for a seizure, nothing has followed.
Royal Navy Options to Challenge Rogue Ships
“The Royal Navy could challenge any number of ships under maritime law because they are in fact stateless,” said Richard Meade, the editor-in-chief of Lloyd’s List, a specialist shipping title. “But they haven’t, because there are escalatory risks.” Last month the Royal Marines held a briefing for British MPs and peers, covering the threat from Russia and the situation in the Arctic and the high north. One of those present said the Marines were “champing at the bit” to be given the order to seize a ship.
US-Led Seizure of Russian Tanker Sets Precedent
A month ago, the US chased the Marinera tanker from the Caribbean to the north Atlantic, seizing it between Scotland and Iceland with British help. Though it was falsely flagged when it was first approached, it had been re-registered as Russian while it was being pursued in a failed attempt to evade capture. Russian complaints in the aftermath were muted, but a UK or European-led operation would be potentially more fraught “because Moscow would probably respond more robustly”, Meade said.
French Detention of Oil Tanker Highlights Complexity
On 22 January, before the signing of the joint statement, France detained the Grinch, an oil tanker off the coast of Spain. It had departed from Murmansk in Russia, under the flag of Comoros, a country in east Africa – but a week later the French president, Emmanuel Macron, told his Ukrainian counterpart it would have to be released because of French law.
UK Defence Secretary Outlines Military Options
In late January, John Healey, the UK defence secretary, said Britain would host a meeting of Baltic and Nordic countries to discuss “military options that we might use”. Any oil seized, he suggested, could be sold “and put into Ukraine in order to fight Putin’s invasion”.
Russia’s Shadow Fleet: A Collection of Old, Poorly Maintained Ships
Russia produces about 10m barrels of oil a day, according to Craig Kennedy, an associate at Harvard University’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. Though some of its 7m daily exports are exported by pipeline, approximately 5-6m a day travel by sea, of which 60% goes to China and India. After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the west gradually began implementing economic sanctions to target the Kremlin’s ability to wage war.
Shadow Fleet Vulnerable Due to Evasion of Regulations
The idea was taken from Iran and Venezuela, already subject to sanctions, but the Russian shadow fleet is, Kennedy says, essentially separate. The evasion of regulations that makes the shadow fleet idea attractive to Moscow has also made it vulnerable. A ship’s flag is, in effect, its own jurisdiction, making it difficult for authorities to track and regulate these vessels effectively.
Original Article: UK threatens to seize Russia-linked shadow fleet tanker in escalatory move — The Guardian