Sweden said Saturday it will step up insurance checks on foreig
n ships in a move aimed at tightening controls on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet ” of aging ships.
The government in Stockholm said that, starting July 1, the coas
t guard and the Swedish Maritime Administration will be tasked with colle
cting insurance information not just from ships that call at Swedish p
orts, but also those that pass through the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
“This underlines Sweden’s clear presence in the Baltic Sea, which in
itself has a deterrent effect,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement. “It also provides Sweden and our allies
with important information about vessels that can be used as a basis for
sanctions listings of more vessels in the shadow fleet.”
Read more: Kremlin Vows to Defend Its Ships in the Baltic by All Legal Ways
Russia uses its shadow fleet to transport oil and gas, or to carry stolen Ukrainian grain. The European Union
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has now targeted almost 350 of the ships in total in sanctions packages, most recently on May 20.
Kristersson said that “we are seeing more and more problema
tic events in the Baltic Sea and this requires us not only to hope for the best, but also to plan for the worst.”
The average age of the vessels is around 18 years, meaning t
ey’re near the end of their lifespan and are more vulnerable to accidents, especially if they’re not well-maintained.
Photograph: An oil tanker is moored at the Sheskharis complex, part of Chernomortransneft JSC, a subsidiary of Transneft PJSC, in Novorossiysk, Russia, on Oct. 11, 2022. (AP Photo, File)