Skip to content
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2024/2885(RSP))

On EU actions against the Russian shadow fleets and ensuring a full enforcement of sanctions against Russia

B-10-2024-0162

on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: GerbenJan Gerbrandy, Bernard Guetta, Grégory Allione, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Helmut Brandstätter, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Engin Eroglu, Sigrid Friis, AnnaMaja Henriksson, Martin Hojsík, Ivars Ijabs, Karin Karlsbro, Ľubica Karvašová, Michał Kobosko, Moritz Körner, Nathalie Loiseau, JanChristoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, MarieAgnes StrackZimmermann, Joachim Streit, Eugen Tomac, Hilde Vautmans, Vlad VasileVoiculescu, Emma Wiesner, Michal Wiezik, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas

Official HTML ↗ PDF DOCX
✦ In shortFull text
✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

This resolution calls for stronger EU action against Russia's shadow fleet and full enforcement of sanctions. It demands expanded sanctions, bans on shadow fleet vessels in EU waters, and measures to prevent environmental and security risks. It also urges sanctions on Russian LNG and nuclear products, bans on ship-to-ship transfers, and enhanced cooperation with partners to close loopholes.

Key points

  1. Calls for designating all possible shadow fleet vessels, their owners, operators, and managers, and for an immediate ban on Western vessels transporting Russian oil and a full embargo on Russian oil.
  2. Urges sanctions on Russian liquefied natural gas, including price caps and transport embargoes, and on vessels suspected of being used in the shadow fleet.
  3. Calls for sanctions on vessels in EU waters without known insurance, and for an EU agency similar to the US Office of Foreign Assets Control to enforce sanctions.
  4. Calls for prohibiting shadow fleet vessels from entering EU territorial waters and for restricting passage through key waterways like the Öresund Strait and the English Channel.
  5. Encourages using Sentinel satellite data to monitor shadow fleet vessels and investigate risks to coastal areas.
  6. Calls for monitoring Directive 2009/20/EC to prevent uninsured vessels from sailing in EU waters and for stronger enforcement, including preventing non-compliant vessels from docking or refuelling.
  7. Urges outreach to countries enabling shadow fleet activities, and reassessing cooperation if diplomatic efforts fail.
  8. Calls for environmental disaster preparedness and a crisis management strategy for large oil spills.
  9. Calls for effective implementation of Directive 2009/123/EC on ship-source pollution and for a holistic approach to prevent trade involving the shadow fleet, including sanctioning third-country facilities that blend Russian oil.
  10. Calls for expanding sanctions lists with G7 partners, verifying insurance adequacy, and enhancing due diligence for vessel insurance.
  11. Calls for prompt transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/1226 and for banning imports from third-country refineries using Russian crude oil.
  12. Calls for banning ship-to-ship transfers in EU waters, stricter penalties for non-compliance, reducing dependence on Russian oil and gas, and banning imports of Russian LNG and nuclear products.

Who is affected

  • Russian shadow fleet operators and owners face expanded sanctions and bans from EU waters.
  • EU member states must enforce bans, monitor vessels, and transpose Directive (EU) 2024/1226.
  • Third countries enabling shadow fleet activities may face reassessed cooperation.
  • Insurance companies and financial entities enabling shadow fleet operations may be sanctioned.
  • Russian energy exports, including LNG and nuclear products, face potential import bans.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 475 billion in oil export revenue earned by Russia between February 2022 and June 2024.
  • 60 USD per barrel price cap set by the EU and G7+.
  • EUR 9 billion estimated cost of building the shadow fleet.
  • Nearly 70% of Kremlin's oil transported on shadow tankers.
  • Around 600 tankers in the shadow fleet.
  • 27 vessels placed on EU sanctions list so far.
  • USD 4.9 billion in fossil fuels transported by UK-sanctioned tankers in the last year.