Sanne Wass and Alex Longley of Bloomberg report that Denmark is increasing inspections of Russian oil tankers in its straits to ensure safety and environmental protection, focusing on older vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet. This policy shift responds to growing concerns over vessel safety and ownership. They write:
Denmark will ramp up inspections of ships transporting Russian oil through its narrow straits, in an effort to protect the environment and maritime safety from older vessels in Moscow’s shadow fleet.
The Danish Maritime Authority will start conducting so-called Port State Control checks on ships anchored outside Skagen that “cannot be considered in innocent passage,” according to a statement. The controls will ensure ships comply with regulations on maritime safety, environmental protection and seafarers’ welfare.
The authority said that the initiative comes in response to increased activity of older vessels transporting oil through Danish waters. […]
The UK began challenging vessels sailing through the English Channel late last year over their insurance accreditation, while concerns over shadow fleet vessels in the Baltic Sea have been mounting after a spate of incidents where ships have damaged subsea cables.
Russia assembled a fleet of about 700 ships to help keep its oil moving in the face of western sanctions, but many operate with opaque ownership structures, calling safety standards into question. Tankers transporting Russian oil are also increasingly refusing to use specialist pilots to guide them through the Danish straits, raising the risk of an oil spill off the country’s coast. […]
Finland last month carried out an inspection of a shadow fleet vessel that damaged an undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, finding it had 32 faults and not seaworthy.
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