A tanker from Russia's shadowy fleet of ships assembled to transport Russian oil has been involved in a collision off Denmark, Bloomberg reports, UNN writes.
Details
The incident involving the 15-year-old oil tanker Andromeda Star occurred on March 2, the Danish Maritime Administration said in a statement. The case is still under investigation, the agency said, without providing details.
According to information gathered by Bloomberg, the vessel was supposed to load Russian flagship grade Urals oil on March 4 in the Baltic port of Prymorsk. Instead, it went to a repair station in Denmark, where it arrived on March 17.
"While there are no signs of a serious environmental impact from the collision, it is yet another reminder of the risks the shadow fleet poses to the waters of even those European countries that no longer trade with Moscow," the newspaper writes.
As the 700,000-barrel vessel was headed to Russia, it is said to have no cargo on board.
Denmark allows ships entering Russia to sail through its waters thanks to a long-standing freedom of navigation treaty. Most ships need experienced navigators, as the Danish straits are difficult to navigate, the newspaper points out.
The owners of the Andromeda Star are listed in many maritime databases, including the International Maritime Organization's database, as "registered sold undisclosed interests," which means that the real owners of the vessel are not publicly known.
The vessel is managed by Margao Marine Solutions OPC, based in Goa, India.
The vessel's insurers are unknown, and it is not listed as insured on the website of the standard International P&I Club Group, which offers protection against risks such as spills and collisions.
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Russia, the publication points out, has created a shadow fleet to support oil exports after many sanctions by the United States, the European Union and the Group of Seven countries. According to some industry estimates, the fleet includes up to 600 vessels.