The European Union is considering sanctions against Russian state shipowner Sovcomflot (SCF Group), to restrict Moscow’s oil revenue.
A document seen by Bloomberg suggests the measures aim to limit the Kremlin’s ability to fund its war in Ukraine.
The report does not go into details, beyond adding that the EU is also proposing sanctions against 13 ships involved in transporting cargoes for the defence and security sectors, as well as tankers.
Bloomberg said the proposal needs the backing of all EU member states. It acknowledged that the plan could change before that happened.
Sovcomflot has been contacted for comment.
Sovcomflot and about 20 of its ships are already on a US sanctions list.
The EU has also banned the import of Russian crude and oil products, and from February allowed member states to bar the sale of tankers to companies dealing in sanctioned Russian oil.
Deals can be blocked if governments believe there are “reasonable grounds” to believe the ships will be used in the shadow fleet.
Sovcomflot chief executive Igor Tonkovidov said earlier in June that he expects his company’s revenue to fall this year, due to difficulties in dealing with Western sanctions.
In May, TradeWinds reported that most of the group’s sanctioned tankers remained inactive.
Anchored across the world
Eight were anchored off Russia’s Pacific ports of Vladivostok and Nakhodka, some for up to five months.
Another had headed from there in ballast towards the Suez Canal, while another had been dry-docked in China.
Seven more SCF Group ships were idle in the Black Sea, shipping data showed. The first of these arrived in December.
The other three were in the Baltic Sea. Two were off the Russian export terminal of Ust-Luga and the other had been off Estonia since late February.
