Russian ‘shadow fleet’ poses environmental risk in Baltic Sea, warns Greenpeace

A recent Greenpeace report warns of the significant risk posed by Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of ageing tankers transporting crude oil, which bypass international sanctions. The report highlights the environmental threat of a potential oil spill in the Baltic Sea, particularly along the German coastline near Rostock, Lübeck, and Kiel.

Greenpeace experts analysed four years of vessel movement data from tankers leaving Russian Baltic ports, including Primorsk, St. Petersburg, Ust-Luga, and Vysotsk. With Russia increasing maritime oil exports following EU sanctions, older tankers—now averaging 16.6 years in age—are being used, heightening the risk of accidents due to wear and corrosion.

Using GPS-equipped buoys, Greenpeace simulated the spread of an oil spill along tanker routes, demonstrating the potential impact on the German coast and the broader Baltic region, including the Gulf of Finland. The report suggests that an oil spill in the Baltic is now inevitable, posing a major threat to the environment.