Latvian company implicated in fueling Russia's "shadow fleet"

The Latvian company has been providing fuel (bunkering) to the Russian "shadow fleet," a group of old and often uninsured vessels, for months - this was unveiled on Tuesday by SVT television. The fueling occurs via a Cypriot tanker anchored near Gotland in the Baltic Sea.

According to the Swedish public broadcaster, in the past two months, the Fast Bunkering company has carried out 56 refuelling operations for ships from the Cypriot tanker M/S Zircone positioned to the east of Slite on Gotland. In 52 instances, the refuelling was for vessels journeying to or returning from Russia, including some tanker ships exporting Russian oil.

- These vessels represent a looming ecological disaster. In the event of a spill, pinpointing responsibility would be challenging. This could be catastrophic for the Baltic Sea's ecosystem - suggests energy expert Henrik Wachtmeister from the University of Uppsala.

SVT reports that Swedish authorities initiated an investigation into these activities, yet the Coast Guard ultimately abandoned the inquiry. Latvia was not subsequently sought for legal support, leaving the company at risk of merely a fine. Fast Bunkering then sought permission for sea bunkering from the Swedish Transport Agency, which raised no objections given the tanker's operational plan, certifications, and the captain’s qualifications were in order.

In a written statement to Swedish TV, Fast Bunkering's CEO Alexey Volkov mentioned that the waters near Gotland were selected based on customer supply demand. Addressing environmental contamination concerns, he affirmed that the company possesses the requisite licenses and follows all necessary procedures. Regarding the support of Russian commercial shipping, he retorted that "EU sanctions permit some exports of Russian oil".

The "shadow fleet," which experts estimate includes about 600 vessels or roughly 10% of the world's large tanker population, is involved in transporting Russian oil to circumvent sanctions.