Russian oil tankers could cause an environmental disaster due to their age
17.01.2025 - 09:40
The Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and insurers warn that the coasts of the Baltic and North Seas are threatened with an environmental disaster every day due to the so-called “shadow fleet”.
Experts say that of the 100 oldest oil tankers in the world, 96 are part of the “shadow fleet”. Also, up to 20% of global oil transportation is accounted for by supplies bypassing international sanctions.
Until 2022, only 5% of tankers were uninsured, today every fifth tanker is.
“Ships can cause enormous damage, and it will be very difficult to hold someone accountable if something happens,” the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association says.
It is noted that at least 10 ships with Russian oil pass along the northern European coasts every day.
“In the event of an environmental disaster, we do not have an established international system to cover the costs of eliminating the consequences of such an event. We have heard about oil spills off the coast of Russia and Ukraine from ships, one of which, according to some reports, was 50 years old. Existing international rules do not allow insuring such ships,” local insurers from Skuld note.
Earlier it became known that Norway will allocate more than $240 million to Ukraine to strengthen the fleet.
