They’ve been enjoying “hidden” for the final month in Laconian Gulf tankers making an attempt to switch Russian oil from ship to ship with a view to keep away from worldwide sanctions.
Tankers carrying Russian crude oil strategy different ships on which they offload the oil, which is often destined for international locations within the East.
On this course of, which poses dangers for the marine atmosphere as nicely, consecutive Navtex of the Greek Navy are placing a “brake” on the realm that binds the realm, with the consequence that the tankers are compelled to maneuver additional south.
Nonetheless, as soon as Navtex expires, they return to the Gulf to proceed transshipments.
Steady Navtex
The Greek Navy began from Might 1st with steady Navtex to dam the realm for workouts, and referred to as on all ships to not enter the realm, as talked about within the Navtex message.
In response to the consulting firm Windward citing official sources in Greece, the choice to increase the session was primarily aimed toward stopping the switch of Russian oil from ship to ship (Ship-to-Ship Switch, STS) within the Greek EEZ.
The third and most up-to-date Navtex issued expires on June 3. Nonetheless, as quickly as one Navtex expired and earlier than the following one was issued, the tankers returned to the Laconic Gulf.
Bloomberg “counted” on Sunday, Might 19, when the second Navtex ended, seven tankers returned to the area to proceed transshipping Russian oil.
In worldwide waters
Oil cargo transfers between tankers (Ship To Ship/STS Switch) inside the Laconian Gulf happen in worldwide waters, i.e. at a distance larger than six nautical miles from the shores.
Finishing up transshipment operations of oil cargoes between tankers (STS Operations) is a standard apply internationally. Because of this, the Worldwide Maritime Group (IMO) has additionally outlined guidelines that apply to grease transshipments – Rules of the Worldwide Conference for the Prevention of Air pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78).
The worldwide waters of the sheltered Laconian Gulf have all the time been a key level for the transshipment of oil from smaller to bigger ships.
Intense response
Very giant VLCC sort tankers can’t move into the Black Sea from the Bosphorus and for that reason and with the intention of reaching economies of scale for many years the Laconian Gulf has change into a transshipment level for smaller tankers carrying crude from the Black Sea to bigger ones, which then depart primarily for the East.
Nonetheless, after the beginning of the struggle in Ukraine and the imposition of sanctions on Russia, many Russian ships have been gathering within the space to make transshipments, inflicting a powerful response from the Western powers.
Environmental hazards
Uncontrolled oil transshipments additionally pose critical environmental dangers.
As Bloomberg factors out, lots of the ships concerned within the transshipments are outdated and their insurance coverage standing is unclear.
The common age of the tankers concerned in crude oil transport off the coast of Greece is eighteen years and nearly all of them belong to the “darkish fleet” of tankers, i.e. to these vessels that commerce with international locations which have been sanctioned (Russia, Iran, and many others.).
Fifty accidents
Bloomebrg has estimated that tankers within the “shadow fleet” Russia has set as much as circumvent Group of Seven restrictions on delivery providers have been concerned in a minimum of 50 accidents since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, together with fires, engine injury, collisions and oil leaks.
Consulting agency Windward estimates that Putin’s shadow fleet now contains 1,400 ships.
They went to Malta
Nonetheless, based on Windward, within the final two weeks there was a 73% discount within the variety of STS transhipments carried out by vessels of the darkish/gray fleet within the Greek EEZ. Nonetheless, these tankers discovered one other “port” to proceed their work.
All the time based on Windward ships of the darkish/gray tanker fleet have been noticed in Malta’s EEZ the place STS exercise elevated by over 1,000%.
Up to now, Malta was a well-liked oil transshipment hub, however in recent times it has misplaced reputation. This enhance might point out a potential change in tendencies as a result of operation of the Greek Navy, notes Windward.
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