Latvian companies continue to service the Russian “shadow fleet” — investigation
The tanker Zircone, registered under the Cypriot flag and based in Latvia, continues to service vessels from the Russian “shadow fleet” despite EU sanctions. This is reported by the Baltic media Delfi.
The tanker Zircone, specializing in refueling ships, recently arrived at the Riga port to purchase and load marine fuel. It docked near the oil product terminal of the company SIA Ovi, which engages in the wholesale of oil products. However, representatives of Ovi did not provide information about the clients and cargo being transshipped.
According to data available in ship databases, during the visit of the tanker Zircone to the Riga port, an inspection was carried out, revealing eight safety violations. Despite the sanctions, the vessels Zircone and Rina act cautiously and cease servicing ships that are on the EU or US sanction lists.
The owners of the company Fast Bunkering, which previously owned these vessels, took various steps after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia — changing the name, address, and owners, likely to continue operations through other companies registered in Latvia.
We remind you that in December 2023, the prime ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia signed a joint declaration on the full implementation of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, trying to mitigate the risks of circumventing them. However, the investigation shows difficulties in enforcing such restrictions.
| Event | Date | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival of the tanker Zircone | October 2023 | Riga port |
| Violations detected | October 2023 | Riga port |
