UK targets 'shadow fleet' with sweeping sanctions on Russian oil
On Thursday, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on 18 tankers carrying Russian crude oil and four carrying Russian liquefied natural gas. This is the most extensive package of sanctions aimed at the so-called "shadow fleet," which refers to ships used by Russia to circumvent the embargo.
The ships listed for sanctions will not be allowed to enter British ports, they will not be registered in the UK shipping registry, and if they are already listed, they will be removed and may be directed to British ports for detention.
The British Foreign Office stated in a communiqué that it is estimated the 18 tankers now under sanctions transported crude oil worth about $6.7 billion CAD just last year.
During the same period, the number of tankers from the "shadow fleet" subject to sanctions increased to 43. A significant number of those previously restricted have been forced into unproductive idleness outside ports around the world and are unable to continue funding Russia's war against Ukraine.
The British Foreign Office explains that the functioning of the "shadow fleet" not only undermines the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine but also poses a threat to the environment because the Kremlin disregards safety standards, risking spills. This also threatens maritime safety and the security of global trade.
"We must combat malign Russian activity"
"We must combat malign Russian activity at every turn, whether illicit tactics to bolster Putin’s war chest, their use of cyber-attacks or barbarism on the front line in Ukraine," stated Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
"The UK is leading the charge against Putin’s desperate and dangerous attempts to cling on to his energy revenues, with his shadow fleet placing coastlines across Europe and the world in jeopardy," he added.
