Russia’s shadow fleet: over half of tankers in critical condition, - Financial Times
A significant proportion of the tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet are dilapidated and pose a risk of a major oil spill and an environmental disaster.
According to Censor.NET, the Financial Times reportsthis, citing experts in the shipping industry.
According to Anil Sharma, CEO of GMS Partnership, at least a third of the tankers involved in transporting Russian oil need to be scrapped immediately.
He notes that, in total, more than half of the vessels in the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ may be at risk.
The scale of the "shadow fleet"
According to data from the brokerage firm Clarksons, the Russian “shadow fleet” comprises around 1,800 vessels, of which approximately 1,500 are oil tankers.
Most of them have been in service for over 20 years, which is considered a critical age for commercial vessels and is usually grounds for their scrapping.
High risks due to poor maintenance
Experts note that some of these tankers lack adequate insurance cover, are operated with minimal maintenance and are often manned by insufficiently qualified crews.
Alexander Savaris, head of the shipping company CMB Tech, described the situation as “an accident waiting to happen”.
The Financial Times notes that the owners of sanctioned tankers continue to use them due to the high profits from oil trading, despite the risks and technical wear and tear of the fleet.
An additional factor is global energy instability and high oil prices, which make transport even by old vessels economically viable.
Additional pressure due to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz
It is also noted that restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have forced some older tankers to be used as floating oil storage facilities, further increasing the risks of accidents and spills.
Experts warn that the combination of technical wear and tear, sanctions and logistical overload creates a potential threat of a large-scale environmental disaster.
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