EU seeks maritime declaration to inspect Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union’s diplomatic arm, the EEAS, is urging member states to back a maritime declaration that would allow EU nations working with flag states to arrange inspections on Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, an EEAS document shows. 

Beefing up inspection rights is the latest EU proposal aimed at curbing Russian oil and gas revenue being used by Moscow to finance the Ukraine war. EU foreign ministers are due to meet on Monday to discuss new measures against Russia, among other topics.

In early October, the Group of Seven industrialised economies (G7) agreed to work jointly towards this goal and target countries that help Moscow circumvent sanctions as well as those that have increased Russian oil imports. 

“EU Member States increasingly demonstrate a renewed momentum for more robust enforcement actions tackling the shadow fleet (for example, France’s action against the Boracay vessel, previous actions by Estonia on Kiwala, Germany on Eventin and Finland on Eagle S),” the EEAS background paper said. 

It said the draft declaration proposes “possible bilateral agreements between the flag states and the EU on pre-authorised boardings for inspections,” adding that an increase in fake flag registrations also needed tackling.

The EEAS said estimates put the shadow fleet at anywhere between 600 and 1,400, with Brussels sanctioning more than 400 ships as well as entities that enable the fleet to operate.

Once the EU adopts the 19th package of sanctions – likely within the next week – that figure will rise to about 560 vessels and bring forward a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports by a year to Jan. 1, 2027. The EEAS said the bloc will also target tanker re-fuelling services, so-called bunkering.

(Reporting by Julia Payne and Jan Strupczewski;Editing by Helen Popper)