Moscow will provide naval escort to ships carrying Russian cargo following growing cases of Western navies intercepting such vessels, the country's maritime board said.
The Maritime Board of Russia, headed by the top Kremlin aide, Nikolai Patrushev, in a meeting, devised a set of rules for countering detention of Russian ships on high seas and international shipping lanes, a web portal for seafarers reported.
Although these guidelines primarily cover the Azov-Black Sea basin and the Baltic Sea region, ensuring secure and efficient navigation, it was not clear whether the naval escort would be provided beyond these parts of the World.
The decision comes as European nations have stepped up efforts to disrupt Russia's so-called shadow fleet of tankers used by Moscow to deliver hydrocarbons to its traditional customers in India and China, and growing demand in Asian markets in the wake of the West Asia crisis and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
“Shipowners engaged with Russia have been instructed on how to coordinate with the Navy,” Patrushev announced, saying oversight of cargo ships operating for Russia has been reinforced. To enhance the safety of ships, the Russian Navy will oversee vessels under escort and monitor navigation zones, he added.
The decision coincided with the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement on the same day that he had given the military permission to board and detain Russian ships, his government alleges are part of a network of vessels that enables Moscow to export oil despite Western sanctions.
This could lead to a confrontation of Ukraine’s supporters with Russia on the high seas, experts say. To avoid detention, the vessel operators and owners involved in shipping to and from Russia have received detailed instructions on operational coordination with ports and naval authorities. “Monitoring of cargo ships carrying Russian freight has been intensified. Authorities can now request, via port captains, escorts for Russian-flagged vessels from mobile fire support units, bolstering maritime security,” the Maritime Board said.
The Russian Maritime Board noted a rise in the threat level for ships departing Russian ports, with an increased risk of attacks, including terrorist acts. “The danger of illegal actions and terrorist attacks against vessels leaving Russian ports is escalating,” it said. In a latest incident, the Turkish tanker Altura, carrying 140,000 tons of oil, was damaged in a drone attack on Thursday in the Black Sea 24 kilometres from the entrance to the Bosphorus Strait.
The vessel, sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone, sustained damage to its superstructure and the captain’s bridge as a result of the explosion, and also suffered a leak in the engine room, Russian news agency TASS reported, quoting Turkish TV.
Also read: Russian minister says set to supply hydrocarbons to Asia
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