Open Editor's Digest for free
Rula Khalaf, editor of the Financial Times, picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Oil tankers suspected of helping Russia evade Western sanctions have begun routinely refusing to help experts navigate the dangerous straits linking the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, raising the risk of spills.
Since the beginning of January, at least 20 tankers carrying Russian oil have refused to take on professional pilots, according to leaked internal reports seen by the Financial Times and Danwatch, a Danish media and research group.
Denmark provides pilots to assist in safe passage through the Danish Straits, which are narrow, shallow and difficult to navigate without expert knowledge.
Earlier this month, an oil tanker was involved in a minor collision in the Danish Strait on its way to Russia, heightening scrutiny of the risks faced by the so-called “Black Fleet” as Moscow tries to bypass Western restrictions on its oil sales.
Mikael Pedersen, head of the Danish Pilots' Union, said that before sanctions imposed in 2022 in response to Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, all ships were “responsible.”
“[Now] Ships here are typically about 20 years old, perhaps uninsured, the crew is poorly trained, the vessels are poorly maintained, and now often sail unmanned.
News that tankers carrying Russian oil are now turning away Danish pilots follows reports in the Financial Times and DanWatch earlier this month that ships helping Moscow evade sanctions were operating without proper insurance and would not be covered. In case of leakage.
Of the twenty ships that refused to use pilots, only three are covered by a recognized Western insurance company.
Denmark has long provided marine professionals familiar with the narrow channels, sandbars and strong currents of the Danish Fjords for any large ship carrying oil or other dangerous goods, as a way to prevent environmental disasters.
Danish pilots say the number of ships carrying Russian oil that have been refused service has risen in the past four months. The 20 ships identified by the Financial Times and Dunwatch were carrying a total of about 10 million barrels of oil, according to data and analytics company Kpler.
Reports show multiple incidents of Russian-linked ships refusing to take pilots on board and captains not understanding or responding to instructions and questions when contacted by radio.
Martin Lidegaard, leader of the Social Liberal Party whose votes sometimes help minority governments pass legislation, described the risks as a “ticking time bomb.”
“Danish waters are weak, small and shallow, and these oil tankers are sailing too close to the coast. It could be a disaster. . . . This also represents a huge economic risk for Denmark,” Lidegaard said.
It is clear that the government must conduct exceptional oversight of insurance papers and see if there is an opportunity to stop the boats.”
Late last year, the European Union discussed the possibility of Denmark inspecting and, if necessary, preventing Russian oil tankers sailing through its waters without Western insurance, under laws that allow countries to inspect ships they fear may pose environmental threats.
But any interception of Russian-linked tankers would be highly controversial and risk Moscow portraying it as a blockade by NATO members – as all countries on the Baltic Sea except Russia are now part of the military alliance.
The International Maritime Organization, a specialized UN body that regulates shipping globally, said all ships “must comply with established standards and best practices” including the use of pilotage services in the Danish Straits, and urged coastal states to remain vigilant.
Lidegaard said the Danish government should consider making the use of pilots mandatory.
Danish maritime authorities said they would ask police to investigate the empty oil tanker Andromeda Star that collided with another ship south of Copenhagen while en route to Russia in early March. No injuries or spills were reported.
Ships are permitted to sail through another country's coastal waters under the right of “innocent passage”, although there are some restrictions where their presence may pose a serious environmental or security threat.
UNCLOS allows states to “initiate action, including detention of a vessel” in light of “clear objective evidence” that the vessel poses a significant threat of coastal harm.
Russia has increasingly relied on the “dark fleet” to transport its oil after the G7 countries imposed a maximum price per barrel of $60 in the wake of the massive invasion of Ukraine. Most Russian oil now sails to Asia, but nearly 60 percent of Russia's total seaborne exports still sail from Baltic ports before crossing the Danish Strait to reach the North Sea.
