Denmark, together with several other countries, has agreed on further measures against the Russian shadow fleet operating in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. This is stated by the British Foreign Office, according to the news agency Reuters.
- If vessels do not sail under a valid flag in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, we will take appropriate steps within international law, the 14 countries said in a joint statement.
The United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Sweden are the senders of the statement.
The shadow fleet is a term for ships, typically loaded with oil, that Russia uses to circumvent international sanctions after the war in Ukraine. They are typically old and worn out and often have unknown insurance and ownership. The ships are not normally regulated or insured by regular Western companies.
The countries have agreed to further strengthen cooperation and ensure a joint and coordinated approach to combating the shadow fleet.
The Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen (M), has previously told TV 2 that Denmark is considering stopping ships that sail without a flag or insurance in Danish waters.
- We have already tightened the grip on these ships considerably. Now we need to consider tightening it further to ensure the necessary effect, the Foreign Minister said at the end of May, according to TV 2.
Sweden recently said that from July 1, the country will tighten controls on ships from the Russian shadow fleet that sail through Swedish waters and that call at Swedish ports.
Specifically, it is the ships' insurance information that is being reviewed. According to the Swedes, checking the ships' insurance policies should help determine whether the ships have control over their safety and whether the companies behind them have the means to clean up after a possible oil spill if an accident occurs.
/ritzau/
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