Denmark may begin blocking tankers with Russian oil – Kommersant

The European Union (EU) will instruct Denmark to inspect and possibly block tankers carrying Russian oil passing through its waters, reports Financial Times (FT) citing sources. According to them, we are talking about tankers transiting through the Danish straits without Western insurance. Its absence from the law allows EU countries to inspect ships that may pose a threat to the environment.

This initiative began to be worked out after Western officials recognizedthat “almost none” of October’s seaborne oil shipments were below the $60 per barrel limit. Western officials say requiring ships to be properly insured is justified because many Russian oil shipments are carried out on “shadow fleets” of older ships that are at increased risk of breakdown or spillage, “which could lead to a major environmental disaster.”

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which governs maritime navigation, includes provisions that allow “legal proceedings, including the detention of a vessel, to be commenced” if there is “clear objective evidence” that there is a serious risk of damage to coastal areas. But, according to the FT, in reality everything will depend on the ability of the Danish naval authorities to stop and inspect tankers.

It is also unknown what Copenhagen will do if the ship refuses to stop. A spokesman for the Danish Defense Command told the newspaper that they “do not check documents or ships passing through the straits unless it is related to maritime safety.” The Danish government declined to comment.

On December 5, 2022, the embargo on Russian oil came into force, and from the same day the price ceiling for oil from Russia was set at $60 per barrel. Since February 5, 2023, the European Union embargo on Russian petroleum products has been in force. Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation asserts, which was able to redirect the volumes of supplies of oil and petroleum products that fell due to the embargo. According to the International Energy Agency, revenue from Russian oil exports in October fell for $25 million.

About the situation on the market – in the material “Kommersant” “The tankers were rumbling at sea”.

Laura Keffer