Finland Wants EU Oil-Spill Vessel to Counter Shadow Fleet Risks
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Finland called for the European Union to procure a vessel to be on standby for oil spills in the northern parts of the Baltic Sea, as Russian crude transports are posing a growing threat in the region.
The risk of oil spills in the area has increased after international sanctions forced Russia to transport oil using older vessels with weaker insurance coverage, according to a statement from Finland’s Transport and Communications Ministry. Harsh winter conditions also increase those risks as Russian vessels in the so-called shadow fleet may be “poorly equipped and not suited for icy conditions,” it said.