The EU is discussing a ban on access to ports for vessels that circumvent sanctions

The European Union is discussing banning ships from entering its ports that try to circumvent restrictions on Russian oil. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to EU documents from the 11th package of sanctions.

The European Commission referred to the “sharp growth of fraudulent practices and related environmental risks” on the part of the courts, which are trying to circumvent the price ceiling and the ban on the import of Russian oil into the EU. As Bloomberg writes, the document proposes to ban access to European ports for vessels that are suspected of or will be found guilty of violating sanctions by transferring oil from ship to ship.

The publication notes that Russia uses a huge fleet of old ships to bypass the restrictions of the EU and the G7 countries. Last December, the Financial Times newspaper reported on the creation of a “shadow fleet” of more than 100 aging tankers.

According to Bloomberg, as part of the 11th package of sanctions, the European Union proposed to introduce restrictions against vessels that turn off navigation systems.

Earlier on May 8, it became known that the European Commission had already sent the EU member states proposals for a new package of sanctions against Russia.