Russian authorities sought to restrict the harm on Monday from oil spilled into the Kerch Strait by two ageing tankers that had been broken throughout a heavy weekend storm, highlighting the environmental and insurance coverage dangers of Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
One crew member was killed after the Volgoneft 212 cut up in half, with 12 rescued, whereas authorities stated all 14 crew aboard the Volgoneft 239, which ran aground 80 meters from the shore close to the port of Taman, had been additionally rescued.
The greater than 50-year-old ships had been carrying some 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil merchandise in complete, Russian information company TASS stated, however how a lot leaked is being decided.
Volgoneft 212 dates again to 1969 and Volgoneft 239 was inbuilt 1973, certificates seen by Reuters confirmed.
The spill might change into one of many largest environmental disasters to have an effect on the area in recent times, though the dimensions of doable insurance coverage claims was not instantly clear.
The transport trade has raised concern in latest months over the dangers and potential for collisions posed by a whole lot of “shadow” tankers in open sea lanes, with little incentive for these vessels to observe cleaner transport requirements.
Russia has more and more used a shadow fleet, which deploys numerous methods to bypass worldwide sanctions.
The Kerch Strait, which separates mainland Russia from the Moscow-annexed Crimea area, is a key route for exports of its grain and gasoline merchandise.
The Finland-registered Centre for Analysis on Vitality and Clear Air (CREA) think-tank stated 369 vessels exported Russian crude oil and oil merchandise final month, of which 206 had been shadow tankers, and 28% of those had been at the least 20 years previous.
Earlier than the weekend incidents, CREA stated the price of clear up and compensation ensuing from an oil spill from tankers with unknown insurance coverage or no insurance coverage provision might quantity to greater than $1 billion for the coastal nation’s taxpayers.
Russia rejects Western stress to restrict its oil exports and previously yr the variety of tankers transporting cargoes that aren’t regulated or insured by Western suppliers has grown.
The paperwork confirmed the Volgoneft 212 was lined by insurance coverage from Russia’s VSK, whereas the vessel’s operator, Kama-Delivery, stated it was carrying 4,200 tons of gasoline oil.
Russia’s OOO Absolyut Strakhovaniye lined the insurance coverage for the Volgoneft 239, paperwork seen by Reuters confirmed.
Neither instantly replied to requests for remark.
President Vladimir Putin on Sunday ordered the federal government to arrange a working group to cope with the rescue operation and mitigate the impression of the spill, Russian information companies cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.
(Reporting by Gleb Stolyarov, extra reporting by Jonathan Saul; Writing by Lucy Papachristou and Vladimir Soldatkin; Modifying by Andrew Osborn and Alexander Smith)
