THE GOVERNMENT IS concerned about the potential environmental risk posed by ships involved in smuggling Russian oil, in contravention of international sanctions, through the high seas off the Irish coast, The Journal has learned.

High level meetings have taken place in the Department of Transport and with experts in the Department of Foreign Affairs to find a way to deal with the issue, it’s understood.

Sources have said Irish officials are concerned about the safety and seaworthiness of the ships in question, which are sailing through the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ). An EEZ is an area of the high seas where a given country has internationally recognised rights, for example over fish stocks, but no power over access.

Earlier this month, at least one person died after two Russian oil tankers were badly damaged in a storm in the Kerch Straitin Crimea, spilling oil and sparking an emergency rescue operation.

The Journal has reported on a number of occasions on oil tankers and cargo vessels used to transport petrochemicals, gas and war material in contravention of sanctions against Russia making their way, generally up the west coast inside the Irish EEZ.

The shadow or dark fleet is a term coined to describe as many as 500 ships that are part of a flotilla of vessels used by Russia and Iran to move oil and other products around the world. 

Sources have said that the Russians are not the only nation involved in such activities and other sanctioned states such as Iran and North Korea are also engaged in the smuggling.

Part of the issue for the Irish state is that outside of the 12 mile limit of territorial waters it is very difficult to deal with suspect traffic in open waters.

One of the responses being considered by the government is to use Part XII of the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS), which includes certain provisions to protect the marine environment. 

Article 209 of the 1982 international agreement says that states “shall” make laws to control the risk of pollution into the sea.

In a statement, the Department of Transport said that it is taking the movement of the oil smuggling tankers seriously. 

“Ireland takes the issue of sanctions evasion and environmental risk posed by the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ very seriously,” the Department said.

It noted that “measures directly targeting this fleet” were part of a package of sanctions adopted by EU governments on 16 December. 

“There are ongoing discussions on further enhancement of existing maritime safety rules. Ireland will continue to work with the EU and international partners on this issue,” a Transport spokesperson said. 

It is understood that the state has tasked the Irish Naval Service and the Irish Air Corps to monitor passage of the ships in the EEZ.

International naval forces have also been involved in monitoring the vessels as they pass close to Irish waters. 

The Foreign Affairs Council measures included adding to the list of sanctioned ships which the EU declares as members of the shadow fleet. 

These vessels will be “subject to a port access ban and [a] ban on provision of a broad range of services related to maritime transport”.

“This measure is intended to target non-EU tankers that are part of Putin’s shadow fleet circumventing the oil price cap mechanism or support the energy sector of Russia, or vessels that are responsible for transporting military equipment for Russia or involved in the transport of stolen Ukrainian grain,” an EU statement said.

“Fifty-two vessels originating from third countries were targeted today on these grounds, bringing the total of designated vessels to 79.”

In February The Journal reported on an oil tanker making its way up past the Irish coast also. On that occasion the Irish Government confirmed the navy and the Coastguard were monitoring its passage. 

Similarly, in September, a sanctioned Liquified Natural Gas cargo vessel entered the Irish EEZ having travelled up from the coast of Portugal and across the Bay of Biscay.

The ship, named New Energy, is a Palau-registered craft and has been named in a list of US State Department sanctions.

The US has accused the ship of flouting sanctions imposed on Russian oil and gas which has been imposed since the invasion of Ukraine. 

On 5 September, the ship was added to the list of sanctioned vessels and companies. It was also claimed in a US State Department statement that New Energy conducted a secret mission to transfer Russian gas.