Environmental groups from Mediterranean countries—including Italy, Malta, France, and Spain—are concerned about the increasingly frequent instances of oil transshipments by the Russian shadow fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. They emphasize the dangers associated with these operations.
This practice of oil transshipment is used to conceal the cargo’s origin. Oil is transferred directly between two tankers—moving it from a vessel subject to sanctions to one that is not. These operations take place on the high seas, thereby posing a threat to the environment.
Given that shadow fleet vessels are typically very old, oil spills into the marine environment frequently occur during these transfers. Consequently, representatives of these organizations are calling on the European Union to step up efforts to combat such practices, specifically by increasing the number of naval missions capable of seizing shadow fleet tankers directly on the high seas within the Mediterranean region.
