From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP
Policy paper
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ ( Around 600 secret vessels) poses a threat to our nations and others who depend on the world’s seas and oceans. Many ships in this ‘shadow fleet’ are uninsured and poorly maintained. Many engage in activities which violate basic safety and environmental standards and regulations.
We are coming together today determined to address the risks that the ‘shadow fleet’ poses to the environment, maritime safety and security in Europe and beyond, the integrity of international seaborne trade, and respect for international maritime law.
The ‘shadow fleet’ comprises ships engaged in illegal operations for the purposes of circumventing sanctions, evading compliance with safety or environmental regulations, avoiding insurance costs or engaging in other illegal activities.
We strongly endorse IMO Resolution A.1192(33), which urged IMO Member States and all relevant stakeholders to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by the ‘shadow fleet’.
We welcome the steps Coastal States have already taken and are taking, and in particular the firm measures adopted by the European Union. It is critical to ensure full compliance of all safety, liability, and environmental rules across the maritime economy.
We call on flag States to ensure that ships flying their flag adhere to highest possible safety and pollution prevention requirements and best practices, including those contained within relevant IMO conventions and resolutions.
We call on port States to ensure the enforcement of the safety and liability conventions on these ships, including those that relate to ship-to-ship transfer operations and the requirement to have on board valid State certificates of insurance.
We urge ship owners and operators, the marine insurance industry, ship brokers and other relevant maritime stakeholders to adhere to their relevant obligations, and support the prevention, detection and reporting of ‘shadow fleet’ activities.
We encourage IMO Member States to keep under close review the risks posed by the ‘shadow fleet’ and take further collective action at the IMO to address those risks.
We have agreed to share information on the practices and operations of the ‘shadow fleet’, to coordinate our responses to the risks posed by its ships and facilitators, and to work with the private sector and other maritime stakeholders to address the threat. We have asked our relevant officials and experts to meet together, as a group and in regional formats, in order to take forward concrete measures to those ends with the greatest urgency.
This ‘Call to Action’ has been endorsed by:
Albania
Andorra
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
United Kingdom
The European Union
Published 19 July 2024
