The United States voted against a G7 proposal which would have established a task force to monitor Russia’s dangerous ‘shadow fleet’ of oil tankers.
These ‘shadow’ ships are often ageing vessels which have convoluted ownership, often in a bid to evade Western sanctions after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Canada proposed the safety measure ahead of a G7 foreign ministers meeting this week, but the US rejected it.
Diplomats reportedly cited a ‘re-evaluation of its position in multilateral organisations, rendering it unable to join any new initiatives’ when speaking to the G7 about their decision.
Concern around the shadow fleet ranges from security to an environmental disaster, like an oil spill, from the ageing fleet.
An investigation by the Kyiv School of Economics Institute (KSE) found Russia built its shadow fleet and found it bought older vessels for a cheaper price – largely ignoring maritime safety laws.
KSE also wrote that it’s not a matter of if a maritime disaster happens with these vessels …