Experts from the University of Jakarta have protested against the dangerous practices of the Russian shadow fleet, which have recently expanded off the coast of Indonesia. They mean large-scale oil spills.
The tiny Indonesian island of Bolshoi Karimun, located less than 40 kilometers southwest of Singapore, has become a key Asian center for the transshipment of Russian oil and petroleum products in circumvention of Western sanctions. From July 2024 to May 2026, the local oil terminal received Russian diesel fuel, fuel oil and naphtha for a total of at least 1.6 billion US dollars.
The bulk of Russian petroleum products is delivered to Karimun by ships of the shadow fleet. As soon as the fuel enters the Karimun reservoirs, it is relabeled as an Indonesian product, which is facilitated by mixing different batches, because unlike crude oil, gasoline or fuel oil lose their unique chemical markers after processing.
Experts emphasize the particular danger to the natural environment of such practices. According to their assessment, oil accidents are possible, threatening the death of thousands of islanders and wildlife in the Indian Ocean. The researchers demand to strengthen the fight against the Russian shadow fleet and ban such practices. They also propose to arrest tankers in case of detection of such spills.
