The storm in the Kerch Strait wrecked two Russian-flagged tankers transporting fuel oil to the port of Kavkaz. It is not known how it happened that vessels unsuitable for sailing at sea were used for oil transportation, for whom the cargo was intended and how much oil was spilled.
On December 15, reports surfaced that two Russian tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, were in distress in the Kerch Strait. They were a few kilometers from the shore. People were allegedly on the decks for about four hours, waiting for help.
According to eyewitnesses, strong waves hit the tankers. First, the Volgoneft-212 vessel, which was carrying over 4,000 tons of fuel oil, sustained damage and broke in half, while the Volgoneft-239, also carrying the same cargo, suffered the same fate an hour later.
The Russian authorities soon confirmed that two Russian Volgoneft tankers carrying oil products were sinking in the Kerch Strait. There were 13 people on board Volgoneft-212 and 14 people on board Volgoneft-239. Both tankers are oil tankers designed to transport crude oil and oil products. At least one sailor died, according to the official reports.
Greenpeace: this oil spill can become largest man-made disasters in Black Sea
The shipwreck in the Kerch Strait resulted in a large oil spill. According to Greenpeace, this oil spill can become one of the largest man-made disasters in the Black Sea.
The Russian ships were carrying some 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products in total, local media reported. But how much leaked is being determined.
Latest reports say that 4,300 tones of fuel oil and possibly other oil products were spilled into the waters of the Kerch Strait (connecting Black sea and Azov Sea) after two fuel tankers hit by the storm and damaged.
“Heavy residual fuel oils will tend to cause more visible damage than refined fractions and marine gas oil which will tend to disperse and break up quite rapidly. Given the potential for significant environmental impacts the focus should, after rescuing crew, be to try and minimize any further spillage if possible. If the ships sink, then there is the potential for releases of oil and petrochemicals over a longer time span,” Dr.Paul Johnston, Head of Greenpeace Research Laboratories, said.
Russian militarisation of the Black Sea and Azov Sea threatens with new environmental catastrophe, Greenpeace Ukraine stated.
Danger posed by aged tankers from ‘Shadow fleet’
Globally, the shipping industry has expressed concern about the risks and potential for collisions posed by hundreds of Russia’s “shadow fleet” oil tankers in open seas, as these vessels do not adhere to cleaner shipping standards. Russia has increasingly used a shadow fleet, which deploys various schemes to circumvent Western sanctions.
The Finland-registered Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air think-tank estimated 369 vessels exported Russian crude oil and oil products last month, of which 206 were shadow tankers, and 28% of these were at least 20 years old, as reported by Reuters.
In October, a joint investigation by Politico and the nonprofit journalism group SourceMaterial revealed at least nine cases of Russian shadow fleet vessels leaving oil spills in global waters since 2021.
Using satellite imagery, they found oil leaks linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet” in different parts of the world—from Thailand to Vietnam, Italy, and Mexico.
These tankers also passed through busy shipping corridors such as the Red Sea and the Panama Canal. This means that in the event of a serious accident, international trade routes could be disrupted.
Significant danger to marine environment
Numerous officials and experts warned that the shadow fleet vessels pose a “significant danger” to the marine environment, and the cases revealed by journalists illustrate this.
As Russia is under Western sanctions, more and more tankers are transporting its oil illegally around the world, risking a potential environmental disaster.
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’
Moscow has organized a “shadow fleet” of over 600 tankers, often hidden through shell companies, to circumvent the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel.
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ consists of tankers and ships that operate outside Western regulations to transport oil while evading sanctions. These vessels, often older and often uninsured, allow nations under restrictions to continue oil exports with less transparency and oversight than conventional fleets.
Besides being unsafe and unregulated, these vessels often lack insurance. In the event of a leak or a more serious spill, it will be difficult for governments to hold these vessels accountable.
Russian Volgoneft tankers
Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, which crashed in the Kerch Strait, were transporting products for Rosneft, the Vazhnye Istory outlet wrote. For the past six months, the vessels have been sailing between the Kavkaz port and refineries on the Volga River, delivering fuel oil and heavy oil fuel.
Both tankers that were involved in the accident were flying the Russian flag. The Volgoneft-212 is owned by Kama Shipping from the Russian city of Perm and is assigned to the port of St. Petersburg.
Volgoneft is a river-to-sea oil tanker. This is the largest class of tankers in the USSR and modern Russia. The vessels are designed to transport crude oil and petroleum products.
According to open sources, Volgoneft 212 is 136 meters long and 16 meters wide. Volgoneft 239 is 132 m long and 17 m wide. The vessels were built in 1969 and 1973, respectively.
Both tankers had their middle section removed during the redesign to meet modern needs. It was this weld that, according to social media reports, was hit by the storm, and the tankers literally broke in half.
