The Russian Federation paid millions for 50 tankers and created a "shadow fleet" - investigation (infographic)
Financial Times told about what Moscow operates and how the Russian "shadow fleet" is created. Journalists used data from three analytical sources: Windward consulting company, teams on tracking KPler ships, SYU ship broker. As a result, they confirmed that Russia has already begun to prepare for new sanctions of Ukraine's partners for export of Russian oil and gas. Partners plan to influence the owners of tankers who help Moscow trade and earn billions of dollars to continue the war in Ukraine.
It seems that the Kremlin is ready for change. This is evidenced by a massive accumulation of old tankers, analysts said. The vast majority of equipment was carried out on the territory of the United Arab Emirates (NPPs). The estimated number of ships that moved to the new owner - about 50 units. At the same time, analysts suggest that the owner is the Russian Federation, which tries to bypass the sanctions.
What data did the investigators get? In the second quarter of 2023, the number of tankers sold for transportation of liquefied gas (LNG-tankers) increased four times. During the last 20 months, the owners of 50 LNGs have suddenly changed. This attracted attention because previously such operations were rare. Ships that changed the owners began to be found near Russian ports. This fact proves that Moscow is involved in the equipment, which is looking for ways to continue trading in oil and gas.
Sanctions have forbidden to unload Russian tankers in the ports of Western Europe, investigators reminded. In response, ships with "opaque" owners appeared. Analysts also noted that the owners are changing old tankers who suddenly sell for big money. For example, a ship built in 2007 was sold in 2022 for $ 50 million. Another similar age - for $ 80 million. It is dangerous that the ships are old, and environmental disasters may become that will not be held accountable due to the "opaque" owner.
"I think that Russian LNG operators believe that it is [new sanctions-ed. ] Already on the table, and are preparing for it,"-the reporters of Analytik Sergiy Vakulenko from the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace. It should be noted that the Ukrainian Analytical Center of Black Sea News monitors the actions of the Russian Federation in the Black Sea. In particular, analysts are in the account of tankers who regularly enter Russian ports.
In the June report, they indicated that there were 317 such ships. Among them about 60 have an official owner - the Russian Federation, the rest - Greece, Turkey, Malta and others. In addition, in January, they told which ports are unloaded from Russian oil. We remind that on July 19 it became known that the EU imposes sanctions on the shadow fleet associated with the Russian Federation.