What’s New
A Russian tanker with 19 crew aboard broke down due to engine failure in the Pacific Ocean in the fourth incident involving Russia’s ships in the last week. Newsweek has contacted Russia’s emergency situations ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
Monday’s incident in the Pacific Ocean with the tanker Mercury comes amid growing concerns about the seaworthiness of the country’s vessels.
On December 15, two Russian flagged tankers caught in a storm off the Krasnodar region were involved in a maritime incident which saw thousands of tonnes of oil spilt and Greenpeace warning of an environmental disaster.
That incident highlighted concerns raised by the shipping industry about the risk posed by Russian “shadow” tankers in open sea lanes which Moscow has used to evade sanctions on sea-borne oil imposed due to Vladimir Putin‘s full-scale invasion.
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) think tank said 369 vessels exported Russian crude oil and oil products last month, of which 206 were shadow tankers, over a quarter of which (28 percent) were at least 20 years old.
The vessels are older and their links to Moscow are hidden, often through shell companies but issues with proper insurance have raised fears over whether there would be payouts in the event of a disaster.
What To Know
The Russian tanker Mercury lost propulsion in the Pacific Ocean due to a failure of its main engine, around 30 miles northeast of Simushir island in the Russia’s fareastern Sakhalin region, according to Russia’s Emergency Ministry.
On Monday evening, the vessel which had a 19-strong crew, issued a distress signal to the maritime rescue center in the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky region and the rescue ship Rubin was dispatched to tow the disabled tanker to port.
“As a result of the main engine shutdown, the Mercury tanker lost momentum,” the emergency ministry said, adding, “there is no threat to the lives of the crew.”
But it comes only a day after the Russian tanker Volgoneft 109, which was carrying 4,000 tonnes of oil, sent out a distress signal following a reported leakage in a cargo tank while near the port of Kavkaz in the Krasnodar region on the other side of the country.
The vessel’s captain said on Sunday there was a leak in the fourth cargo tank and oil was leaking into the ballast tank although no fuel spilt into the water and none of the 14 crew members was in danger, according to the Baza Telegram channel.
The captain refused to evacuate the crew and anchored the vessel in the Kuchugura area southeast of Cape Peklo in the Krasnodar region, the outlet reported.
However, a day earlier, two other Russian-flagged tankers—Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239—were caught in a storm south of the Kerch Strait which separates Krasnodar from Crimea.
Volgoneft-212, which was reportedly carrying 4,900 tonnes of fuel oil, split in half and sank, resulting in an oil spill and the death of one crew member.
Volgoneft-239 was damaged and drifted until it ran aground near the Port of Taman, Krasnodar Krai. It also leaked oil and the maritime incident prompted Greenpeace to warn of a major environmental disaster in the Black Sea.
The environmental group said that both tankers were on the way to deliver fuel for the Russian navy and its marine location system was switched off for 12 days.
What People Are Saying
Russia’s emergency situations ministry said: “The Mercury tanker lost speed in the Sakhalin Region in the Pacific Ocean, 50 km northeast of Simushir Island, as a result of the main engine shutdown.”
Greenpeace said about the December 15 oil spill that Russian authorities must “take all efforts to mitigate or reduce environmental impact of the oil spill, and withdraw the navy ships, and stop militarization of the region, returning Crimea under the rightful control of Ukraine.”
Alexander Brandt, a shipping lawyer from Reed Smith Transportation Industry Group, told Newsweek: “The decision by 12 European nations to challenge Russia’s shadow fleet by requiring proof of insurance for suspected tankers transiting their waters is a strategic move that could unsettle operators.”
What Happens Next
European countries are looking to clamp down on Russia’s shadow fleet, and in the latest tranche of EU sanctions against Russia announced Monday, 52 of its ships had been banned from European ports and services.
Meanwhile, the Nordic Baltic Eight group of countries, which includes the U.K. and Denmark, have tasked maritime authorities to request relevant proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels passing through the English Channel, the Danish Straits of the Great Belt, the Sound between Denmark and Sweden, and the Gulf of Finland.
Brandt said this decision “is a strategic move that could unsettle operators.”
“Dark fleet owners now face the reality that passing through EU or U.K. territorial waters means increased scrutiny and the potential for specific actions against their vessels,” Brandt told Newsweek.
“Europe’s coordinated stance may begin to yield results, creating disruption for clandestine operators without jeopardizing global trade flows.”
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