Denmark spills in the straits - Business - Kommersant

Denmark spills in the straits - Business - Kommersant



Coming into force in December, a new package of EU sanctions against Russia risks depriving Danish pilots of the ability to navigate Russian oil tankers through the difficult local straits. Experts fear that this will negatively affect the safety of navigation in the Baltic and North Seas, up to accidents with a potential oil spill.

The Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) reported Financial Times (FT), which fears for the safety of shipping and sees a threat to the environment if, due to new EU sanctions against Russia, the work of Danish pilots on Russian tankers is violated.

In accordance with the shipping agreement signed in Copenhagen back in 1857, all foreign ships can pass through the straits in Danish territorial waters. Denmark is obliged to ensure the availability of the services of local pilots. In turn, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recommends, but does not oblige, the use of Danish pilots when foreign ships pass through the straits.

“Failure to comply with the rules and recommendations of the IMO can cause not only environmental damage to Danish territorial waters. It will also jeopardize the safety of navigation and crew members on board such vessels,” the DMA said in response to an inquiry from the FT about the situation with Danish pilots and the new package of sanctions against Russia, which comes into force on December 5.

Among the new sanctions, a ban on the supply of Russian oil to the EU is expected.

According to the FT, "some market participants fear that the new sanctions may complicate and even make it impossible to use Danish pilots on Russian ships." In response to a request from the FT, the Danish maritime authority urged "the international maritime transport sector to continue to adhere to all IMO rules and recommendations."

As noted Bloomberg, when transporting Russian oil by sea from the Baltic ports, it is impossible to bypass the Danish straits. According to the agency, over the past two years, tankers have transported almost 2 billion barrels of oil through these straits. Two sources at the Danish Maritime Authority told the agency that they hope the new sanctions will be amended to allow ships to cross the strait to safer places.

In turn, Victor Katona, an oil market analyst at the research company Kpler, told the FT that a solution to the problem must be found: “Those 1.5 million barrels of oil that pass through the straits on an average day make up a significant part of world demand. If something happens, oil prices will jump again. And no one will be happy about that."

Evgeniy Khvostik



Source link