IMO calls out dark fleet's opaque ownership and dodging of oil spill responsibility

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has noted a need to urgently address the rising use of the "dark fleet" for ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of Russian crude oil, which increase the risk of oil spills and collisions at sea.

PHOTO: Spain's maritime authority denied entry into Tarragona to the Singapore-flagged tanker Maersk Magellan earlier this year, as it was transporting diesel sourced from a Russian ship. VesselFinder

The IMO's Legal Committee discussed the issue at its 110th meeting, where it was informed that a fleet of 300-600 tankers make up the global "dark fleet". These vessels are mostly older, irregularly inspected and poorly maintained vessels that are used to circumvent sanctions meant to restrict movement of Russian crude oil.

The IMO says it is often unclear who owns these ships and that different techniques are used to hide their identities. Opaque ownership structures could allow the ultimate shipowners to evade their liabilities when accidents occur. This could put coastal states and the IMO at greater risk of having to deal with potential damages, the IMO argues.

Spain, which has recorded a spike in STS activity off the exclave of Ceuta in the Alboran Sea, is keen to tighten restrictions on STS oil transfers in international waters.

Countries like Australia, Canada and the US have made a joint submission to the IMO to bring up the issue of “dark fleets” for discussion. They have called upon flag states to ensure that their flagged tankers adhere to international laws and safety requirements around STS transfers.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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