Denmark to tighten control over passing oil tankers to combat Russia’s “shadow fleet”

Danish officials have announced plans to tighten environmental control over oil tankers in the port of Skagen, which serves as a transport hub between the Baltic and North Seas. According to a statement published on the government’s website on October 6, “The initiative comes in response to increased activity by older vessels that, among other things, transport sanctioned oil through Danish waters, posing greater risks and raising concerns, including for the marine environment.”

As a result, the relevant authorities will conduct more frequent inspections of vessels for compliance with environmental regulations, particularly regarding waste management, disposal certificates, ballast water (to prevent invasive species), and fuel requirements.

“We are now tightening controls with very basic environmental rules so that we can take more effective and consistent action against tankers and the Russian shadow fleet,” says Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke. “We must put an end to Putin’s war machine. That also applies to the Russian shadow fleet. From our safety inspections at the Skagen Anchorage, we know that some of these vessels are old and worn out,” added Minister for Industry and Trade Morten Bødskov.

The statement notes that “several thousand vessels” pass through Danish waters each year, and a “significant number” of them stop at the port of Skagen.