The Council of the European Union adopted the 19th package of sanctions targeting key sectors fueling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which included a ban on port access and the provision of a wide range of services related to maritime transport for a total of 117 vessels.
“We have just adopted our 19th sanctions package. It targets the Russian energy sector, banks, cryptocurrency platforms and entities in China, among others. The European Union is also regulating the movements of Russian diplomats to counter destabilization attempts. It is becoming increasingly difficult for Putin to finance his war. Every euro we deny Russia is one it cannot spend on the war. The 19th package will not be the last,” reported Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Foreign Affairs Council.
With the new measure, a total of 557 vessels are now subject to penalties from the European institution. “These measures target non-EU oil tankers that are part of the shadow fleet circumventing the oil price cap mechanism, and which would otherwise support Russia’s energy sector, transport military equipment for that country, or stolen Ukrainian grain,” it communicated.
Furthermore, the European Union is imposing additional sanctions throughout the entire value chain of the shadow fleet. Specifically, the new package includes the inclusion of Litasco Middle East DMCC, a facilitator of Lukoil’s shadow fleet based in the United Arab Emirates.
“Other sanctioned entities include maritime registries that provide false flags to vessels in the shadow fleet, enabling their continued operation by generating a fraudulent impression of compliance with certification requirements. Today’s measures also target the largest port container operator in the Russian Far East and a major shipyard working for Sovcomflot,” the Council noted.
The 19th package also introduces a ban on reinsuring vessels belonging to the shadow fleet, which “further limits their operational capacity,” as stated by the European institution.
