Many extra Russian-flagged vessels than traditional switched their flags to different international locations in March, presumably to hide their ties to Moscow and keep away from being caught up in sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine, in accordance with maritime consultancy Windward Ltd.
A complete of 18 ships, together with 11 cargo vessels from the identical fleet, modified to non-Russian flags final month, Tel Aviv-based Windward stated. That’s greater than thrice the month-to-month common for Russian vessels. It’s additionally the primary time the determine has hit double-digits, based mostly on knowledge going again to January 2020.
“A few of these situations might level to dangerous actors deliberately disguising their identification to conduct enterprise that might not be allowed beneath the brand new sanctions,” Windward stated in a report shared with Bloomberg Information.
The flag switches come as Russian vessels from oil tankers to multimillion-dollar yachts owned by oligarchs have gone darkish, turning off identification and placement transmitting techniques that ought to all the time be on whereas at sea. The follow helps keep away from detection and might pose dangers to maritime security.
The U.S., UK and different allies have ramped up sanctions towards Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine that started in late February. U.S. President Joe Biden issued an government order on March 8 banning imports of Russian oil and fuel, whereas the UK stated it should part out oil imports by the tip of the 12 months. Each international locations, together with Canada, have additionally barred Russian ships from their ports.
“Overseas corporations have completely different motivations for shifting from the Russian flag, they need their vessels to have the ability to function all over the place with out restrictions and, in some instances for ethical causes,” stated Windward product supervisor Gur Sender.
Of the 18 vessels, three are tankers — two of which transport oil, in accordance with Windward. 5 that modified flags in March are linked on to Russian homeowners. Eleven cargo ships are from the identical fleet owned by a United Arab Emirates firm, they usually all switched flags to the Marshall Islands. Three vessels modified to Saint Kitts and Nevis flags.
Switching flags isn’t essentially uncommon — it generally occurs as a consequence of a change in possession or space of operation, Sender stated. The month-to-month common for Singapore vessels in 2021 was 17 flag modifications, whereas Japan averages 5 per thirty days this 12 months. These numbers stay constant, nevertheless. Adjustments in Russia’s 3,300-strong fleet abruptly jumped, having by no means exceeded greater than 9 in any month going again to January 2020, Windward knowledge present.
“What makes flag modifications attention-grabbing is when they’re going down in correlation with commerce restrictions towards a particular nation, particularly when one of many administration or possession corporations is in truth registered in that very same restricted nation,” Sender stated.
In an advisory final Could on misleading transport practices, the U.S. Treasury warned that “dangerous actors might falsify the flag of their vessels to masks illicit commerce. They could additionally repeatedly register with new flag states (‘flag hopping’) to keep away from detection.”
The follow is prone to change into extra widespread if the struggle in Ukraine continues, stated Ian Ralby, chief government of I.R. Consilium, a maritime regulation and safety consultancy. Ships flying the flags of the Marshall Islands and the Caribbean nation St. Kitts and Nevis are much less doubtless to attract consideration and scrutiny.
“It’s all a transparent try by Russian ship homeowners and operators to attempt to obscure the identities of the vessels,” he stated. “They wish to keep away from detection.”
High {photograph}: Oil tanker MS Sikinov, operated by Sikinos II Transport Corp, refuels at a gasoline storage facility on the Large Port of Saint-Petersburg in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2016. Photograph credit score: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg.
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