Gotland, Sweden – This morning activists from Greenpeace Nordic launched a peaceful protest against a bunker vessel fuelling the Russian so-called shadow fleet in open sea off the Swedish island Gotland. The activists approached the vessel in two rhibs and painted OIL IS WAR – PEOPLE WANT PEACE on the side.
The 125 metre long bunker vessel Zircone operates as a floating gas station, fuelling the shadow fleet. It's a fleet of several hundred rusty tankers that are often worn out and old, missing inspections, have dubious insurance if any at all, obscure ownership and are registered in countries with lax regulations.
"The Russian shadow fleet is a severe threat to our treasured seas and coastlines. In fact, shipping experts call it "an accident waiting to happen". We urge the Swedish government to stop allowing the Zircone to operate in the Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone and thereby remove critical infrastructure from the Russian fleet that is financing the war in Ukraine," said Rolf Lindahl, peace & energy campaigner at Greenpeace Nordic.
"This is as wrong as it gets. Not only does the shadow fleet constitute an immediate environmental threat, it is also fuelling Russia's war on Ukraine. The sanctions are vague, allowing for this shadow fleet, because of global society's dependence on oil. There is an urgent need for a transition to safe, green energy," he added.
The Zircone is owned by a Latvian company Fastbunkering and has been operating outside Gotland for a few months, fuelling oil tankers passing from Russia towards Denmark and the North Sea and beyond. In the last week, it has refuelled over 50 tankers with Russian oil. Around half of all Russia's sea-based oil transport passes through the Baltic Sea and Danish waters. This means, according to Lloyd's, that up to 5 oil tankers from the shadow fleet pass through every day.
