Sanctions demanded

Greenpeace warns of dilapidated Russian oil tankers

A Russian oil tanker (symbolic image)

(Bild: AFP)

According to research by the environmental organization Greenpeace, 192 dilapidated tankers worldwide are transporting Russian crude oil. The ships are outdated, many have technical defects, have temporarily switched off their automatic identification system or have handed over cargo to other tankers at sea, the organization explained.

171 of these ships had sailed through the German Baltic Sea and the Kadetrinne shipping route in the Mecklenburg Bight once or more in the last two years. 

Tankers insufficiently insured against oil spills
The transfer of cargo on the open sea is a particularly risky maneuver, Greenpeace announced. The 192 ships listed are the most dangerous oil tankers in the so-called Russian shadow fleet. In addition, the tankers have not yet been on any sanctions list. Greenpeace warned that the entire German Baltic Sea coast would be at risk in the event of an accident in the Kadet Channel north-east of Mecklenburg Bay. All tankers are inadequately insured against the consequences of an oil spill.

Emergency services and volunteers cleaning the beach in 1997 after a Russian oil tanker ran aground off the coast of Mikuni and lost cargo.

(Bild: APA/AFP )

Greenpeace wants to see oil tankers on sanctions list
"These junk tankers must be the first to go on the EU sanctions list," demands Thilo Maack, marine biologist at Greenpeace. "The (German) government must act quickly and prevent an impending catastrophe." Greenpeace's list includes various types of ships ranging in length from 183 to 275 meters. The oldest ship is 27, the youngest 16 years old.

India and China are the main buyers of Russian oil
In September, Greenpeace published data research showing that the number of crude oil tankers leaving Russia in the Baltic Sea has increased by 70 percent since January 2021. One year after the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, almost 1,000 tankers loaded with oil from Russia had passed westwards along the Baltic Sea coast in 2023. That is an average of two to three ships per day. The main customers are India and China.

Russia has long been accused of using ships that are not owned by Western shipping companies or insured by Western insurers to circumvent a Western price cap on Russian oil exports to third countries. The price cap came into force together with an extensive ban on imports of Russian oil into the EU.

This year, the Baltic Sea Council, which consists of eight countries bordering the Baltic Sea, called for decisive measures to be taken against the shadow fleet, including the tightening of sanctions.