To strengthen sanctions against Russia, the Socialists and Democrats will back the European Parliament’s call for strong EU action against its shadow fleet.

This network of up to 600 vessels, often uninsured and unsafe, transporting Russian oil worldwide enables Russia to circumvent EU sanctions and provides a crucial financial lifeline for Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. Additionally, the lack of safety and insurance, coupled with risky ship-to-ship oil transfers in open waters, puts the world at risk of a large environmental disaster.

The European Parliament resolution, to be voted on later today, calls for targeted sanctions on the shadow fleet in the next EU sanctions packages against Russia, including blacklisting all individual vessels involved, as well as their owners, operators, managers, banks and insurance companies. It also calls for immediately banning the use of Western vessels in the transport of Russian oil, and reassessing EU cooperation with non-EU countries that help Russia circumvent sanctions.

This is essential to ensure the effectiveness of the EU’s efforts to prevent Russia from intensifying its war of aggression against Ukraine this winter. 

Raphaël Glucksmann, S&D MEP and negotiator on this resolution, said: 

“Russia’s shadow fleet is an army of old and very uncertain vessels enabling Russia to escape EU sanctions on fossil fuels. Moscow has invested several billion euros building up this fleet and it enables Moscow to keep fueling its war machine against Ukraine with billions of energy revenues in violation of EU sanctions. 

“And there is more: these unsafe vessels going through European waters are posing an imminent and high threat on the environment. They are putting us all at very serious risk. 

“Action must be taken immediately. We’re calling for EU sanctions against all shadow fleet vessels and for banning European vessels from transporting Russian oil. Non-EU countries complicit of circumventing EU sanctions against Russia, like China, India and Turkey, should be imposed a much higher cost for their support to Russia’s war!”