Reference News Network, October 8 report. According to AFP, on October 6, the Danish Ministry of the Environment announced that the country will strengthen control over oil tankers moored in nearby waters at Skagen (in northern Denmark), where the Baltic Sea meets the North Sea, in order to more effectively combat Russia's "shadow fleet".
Denmark's Minister for the Environment, Magnus Heunicke, stated in a statement from the Ministry: "We are currently increasing our enforcement of basic environmental regulations in order to take action against oil tankers and Russia's 'shadow fleet' more efficiently and consistently."
Every year, more than 60,000 ships pass through the Skagen area, among which dozens of old and poorly maintained vessels are suspected to be affiliated with Russia's "shadow fleet".
This fleet consists of hundreds of secretly operated vessels, which serve as an important channel for Russia's oil exports. These vessels operate in a highly secretive manner, frequently changing their flags, with ship owners registered in tax havens, and their transponders are often turned off, making them difficult to track and hard to link to the Russian authorities.
Some experts and several European leaders believe that some of these vessels are also used by Russia as tools for hybrid warfare.
The Danish police have not ruled out this possibility: drones seen over multiple airports and military facilities in Denmark at the end of September may have taken off from these vessels. Approximately 444 vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet" have been placed on the EU sanctions list.
In the 2026 budget bill, the Danish government has allocated special funds for the Danish Maritime Authority to carry out control measures, ensuring that vessels comply with environmental regulations, focusing on requirements related to waste disposal, ballast water management, and fuel usage. (Translated by Wang Zhongju)
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