Experts from several university research centers in Northern Europe have expressed concern about the technical condition of oil tankers in the Baltic Sea. They are particularly concerned about the ships of the Russian shadow fleet, which constantly transport oil from Prussian ports in the Gulf of Finland.
Most of them are in operation for more than 20 years — the age at which cargo ships are usually sent for scrap. After that, outdated systems and corrosion from years at sea threaten their seaworthiness. The industry warns that such ships are often uninsured, poorly maintained and operated by less qualified crews.
Some of these vessels are not properly insured, are poorly maintained and operate with insufficiently trained crews. Such crews are capable of making more mistakes than professional sailors. This could lead to large-scale oil spills into the territorial waters of European countries.
The researchers advocate for strengthening the sanctions policy against tankers of the shadow fleet, demanding a more detailed inspection of the technical condition of tankers and the introduction of tougher penalties for violations of environmental standards.
