The UK has authorised the detention of shadow fleet vessels in its waters

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has authorised the armed forces and law enforcement agencies to board and detain vessels subject to UK sanctions that pass through its territorial waters. This is stated in a press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The British government noted that the new powers are aimed at Russia’s shadow fleet, which is funding the war against Ukraine. According to government estimates, around 75 per cent of Russian crude oil is transported by such vessels or via an ageing fleet.

The UK, together with its allies, has already imposed sanctions on 544 vessels linked to this fleet.

The decision was announced ahead of the Joint Expeditionary Force summit in Helsinki, where regional security and countering Russia’s actions are being discussed.

A number of member states, including Finland, Sweden and Estonia, have already carried out operations against suspected shadow fleet vessels in the Baltic Sea. The UK intends to join these efforts and close its waters, including the English Channel, to sanctioned vessels.

The government expects this will force shadow fleet operators to use longer and more expensive routes or risk detention.

In the event of vessels being detained, their owners, operators and crew members may be held liable for breaching UK sanctions legislation.

Previously, the Royal Navy had already supported allies in tracking shadow fleet vessels in European and Mediterranean waters, and had participated in the US operation to seize the tanker Bella 1.

British military and law enforcement personnel have been trained for various scenarios, including the inspection of vessels whose crews may refuse to comply with orders or use technical means to evade detention. Each vessel will be assessed in advance by experts in law, military affairs and energy markets, after which ministers will decide on the operation.

Keir Starmer stated that, in the face of growing instability, his primary duty is to ensure the country’s security and protect national interests.

“We live in an increasingly unstable and dangerous world, facing threats from all sides on a daily basis. My primary responsibility as Prime Minister is to ensure the country’s security and protect British interests at home and abroad. Putin is rubbing his hands with glee over the war in the Middle East, hoping that rising oil prices will allow him to line his pockets,” he said.

According to him, this is precisely why London is stepping up the fight against the shadow fleet to deprive Russia of the revenues used to wage war.

The government also emphasised the strategic importance of the Arctic and the Far North, where Russia, through its Northern Fleet, could pose a threat to energy and food supply routes, undersea cables and sea lanes between the US and Europe.