UK cracks down on Russian 'shadow fleet' with new sanctions
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 targeting the so-called "shadow fleet," which refers to ships Russia uses to circumvent the embargo.
11:01 AM EDT, October 17, 2024
The ships listed for sanctions will be prohibited from entering British ports and will not be registered in the UK shipping registry, and if they are already registered, they will be removed and potentially directed to British ports for detention.
The British Foreign Office stated in a communiqué that it is estimated that just last year, the 18 tankers now under sanctions transported crude oil valued at about $4.9 billion.
During the same period, the number of sanctioned tankers from the "shadow fleet" increased to 43, with a significant number of those previously restricted forced into unproductive idleness outside ports around the world and unable to continue funding Russia's war against Ukraine.
The British Foreign Office explains that the operation of the "shadow fleet" not only undermines the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine but also poses a threat to the natural environment. The Kremlin's disregard for safety standards increases the risk of spills and 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.
