The journalists investigated using satellite imagery from the NGO SkyTruth, shipping data from Lloyd’s List and information from the commodity platform Kpler. They found oil spills from “shadow fleet” vessels in various countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Italy and Mexico.
One of the largest oil spills was discovered about 100 kilometers off the coast of Scotland. The dark stain is 23 kilometers long and is believed to have originated from the tanker Innova.
The Innova is part of the “shadow fleet,” a group of aging ships that evade sanctions and transport Russian oil and other prohibited goods. At the time of the spill, the vessel was carrying 1 million barrels of sanctioned oil from Russia to India.
Another oil spill occurred off the coast of Italy, the Aruna Gulcay, which left a 47-kilometer-long oil slick.
Experts warn that these vessels are poorly maintained, uninsured, and do not meet international safety standards. Most were built fifteen or more years ago. These factors make them more vulnerable to technical problems that could affect their handling.
Analysts said the nine oil spills that have been linked to Russian “shadow fleet” vessels likely represent only a small fraction of the true scale of the problem. They therefore believe that the fight against shadow fleet tankers needs to be stepped up, including by increasing the frequency of tanker arrests on the high seas.
