EU Sanctions 41 Shadow Fleet Vessels and Plans Monthly Follow-Up

 

The European Union added 41 more shadow fleet vessels, including tankers and bulkers, to its sanctions list on December 18, noting that it is “putting more pressure on Moscow and generating more support for Kyiv.” Today’s effort was the first after the EU minister’s decision not to wait for large sanction packages but instead to review the situation on a monthly basis.

“Russia’s shadow fleet remains its cash lifeline, and we are cutting it,” declared Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. “We will now also sanction shadow fleet vessels on a rolling basis, with decisions every month.”

Today’s action listed a total of 41 vessels, meaning they are banned from port access in the EU or the provision of a broad range of services. The Council of the EU, in announcing the actions, emphasized that they are targeting “non-EU tankers that are part of Putin’s shadow fleet circumventing the oil price cap mechanism or support the energy sector of Russia.” The goal is to weaken Russia’s economic base.

While the attention remains on the tanker fleet, the EU also said its efforts are going further. They noted that sanctions are also being applied to vessels transporting military equipment for Russia. They are also adding vessels, including bulkers, “involved in transporting stolen Ukrainian grain and cultural goods from Ukraine.” With these latest sanctions, the EU has designated a total of 604 vessels.

These sanctions follow the actions by the European Council to sanction nine businessmen and energy traders, which the EU labeled “shadow fleet enablers”. Kallas noted that in addition to the vessels, they were sanctioning individuals linked to Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as shipping companies.

Kallas highlighted that Europe is providing Ukraine with a record €27 billion ($31.6 billion) of military support this year. She noted that Europe has also met its pledge of providing two million rounds of artillery shells.

During a press briefing at the conclusion of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Kallas said, “It is also clear that it is no time to slow down.” The European Council added in its statement that the “EU remains ready to step up pressure on Russia and its shadow fleet value chain, including by adopting further sanctions.”