German push against Russian shadow fleet begins with tanker insurance checks

In a new enforcement effort that started on July 1, German authorities have begun stopping tankers passing through the country’s waters to check whether they carry valid insurance for oil spill damage.

According to the German Federal Foreign Office, the measure is one of a range of initiatives spearheaded by the European Union (EU) to push back against the Russian so-called ‘shadow’ (or ‘dark’) fleet as well as to improve the security of maritime transport and help preserve the marine environment.

As explained, the ships concerned are those journeying eastward via the Fehmarn Belt, a strait connecting the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Mecklenburg in the western part of the Baltic Sea. Many of these tankers remain a mystery when it comes to insurance, the government has warned, as they typically bypass European ports and shun well-known insurance providers.