German customs seize Russian tanker amid oil sanctions clash
German customs services seized a tanker that was drifting off the northern coast of the country in January, the magazine "Spiegel" reported. The ship Eventin, flying the Panamanian flag, was said to belong to the Russian "shadow fleet."
The magazine reported, citing sources in the German security services, that customs took over the vessel along with its cargo. The tanker was said to contain about 100,000 metric tonnes of crude oil valued at approximately 60 million CAD.
Reuters reminded that when in January, German customs secured the tanker drifting off the coast of Rügen, it triggered sharp criticism of Berlin from Moscow. Reuters noted that the old and heavily worn-out unit also raised environmental protection concerns due to a possible oil spill.
The Eventin was subject to European Union sanctions imposed on Russia for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow used the unit to evade the ban on the sale of oil, weapons, and grain to the Kremlin.
The cost of transporting oil by the "shadow fleet" sharply up
The cost of transporting Russian oil by the "shadow fleet" tripled after the introduction of the latest American sanction package - Bloomberg reported in January, emphasizing that experts believe the price will rise further.
As the agency reported, freight rates for oil transport from Russia's eastern coast to China rose on Monday from about 2.1 million to 7.1, or even 10 million CAD. Most units transporting oil on this route have a capacity of 750,000 barrels.
Last fall, the "Financial Times" reported that the "shadow fleet" transported almost 70% more oil than in 2023, which increases environmental risk. The "shadow fleet" consists of worn-out, aging, and low-insured tankers. As of June 2023, they were transporting 2.4 million barrels of oil per day. By June 2024, this amount had increased to 4.1 million barrels.
