Denmark changed its policy in the movement of ships in the Baltic Sea and began to inspect Russian tankers. The main goal is to prevent environmental disasters that may occur due to the use of old and dangerous ships of the "

This was reported by the Danish Maritime Administration. "

According to Lloyd's List and the Kyiv School of Economics, the Russian “shadow fleet” has more than 600 tankers transporting about 70% of Russian oil exported by sea. Many of them are operated without proper insurance, and their owners remain unknown. In the Baltic Sea, accidents of such courts that threatened the environmental safety of the region have already been recorded. Cases of malfunctions have not yet led to significant oil spills, but the experience of the Black Sea demonstrates how dangerous such accidents are.

In December 2024, two oil tankers sank in the Kerch Strait, who were more than 50 years old. As a result of the disaster, more than 4 thousand tons of fuel oil poured into the sea, which entailed serious environmental trouble. The elimination of its consequences continues to this day. A similar incident in the Baltic Sea could have even worse consequences due to narrow waterways and proximity to densely populated coastal zones.

Previously, Denmark did not stop and did not inspect the Russian tankers, guided by the international treaty of 1857, guaranteeing free shipping through the Danish straits. However, given the increasing environmental and safety risks, the country decided to change its approach. The basis for verification may be information that a specific tanker poses a threat to environmental safety. This means that the ship can be stopped and subjected to thorough verification. Denmark, relying on international shipping norms, had no such authority before, but now officially announced a change in her policy.

Denmark is not the only country to control the " In December 2024. 12 countries of Northern Europe agreed to check the insurance policies of Russian tankers. Now those who refuse to provide insurance will fall into a special database, which may become the basis for sanctions. A similar approach is already used by the UK, requiring the presentation of insurance for the veins passing through the La Channel.