Baltic Sea Coalition Against the Russian Shadow Fleet

The democratic neighboring states of the Baltic Sea are joining forces to counter the questionable Russian oil exports on severely unsafe ships. The foreign ministers of the Baltic Sea Council demanded decisive action and tighter sanctions on Friday to address the issue of the so-called shadow fleet. This call was made at the conclusion of their two-day meeting in Porvoo, near the Finnish capital Helsinki. Given the numerous threats from Russia, it is essential to further enhance resilience and crisis management capabilities. It should be noted that Russia invaded Ukraine over two years ago. Several Western nations accuse Russia of relying on barely seaworthy vessels to circumvent European Union sanctions due to the ongoing war of aggression. This practice aims to bypass a Western price cap on Russian oil to third countries by using ships that are not owned by Western shipping companies or insured by Western insurers. This practice poses a significant threat to the seas, particularly the ecologically sensitive Baltic Sea, which is prone to oil spills. The foreign ministers emphasized that the shadow fleet undermines global safety standards in maritime traffic as well as the liability and compensation system. Moreover, the illegal transport of Russian oil supports Moscow's war against Ukraine. The Baltic Sea Council was founded in 1992 and includes the eight neighboring states of Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Sweden, as well as Iceland, Norway, and the European Union. Due to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia's membership was suspended in March 2022, after which Russia withdrew from the Baltic Sea Council in May of the same year.