Extreme weather conditions in the Baltic Sea have led to the near-total freezing of the Gulf of Finland, paralyzing the transport of energy resources from Russia. Greenpeace warns that a so-called 'shadow fleet,' consisting of vessels in dire technical condition, is operating in the immediate vicinity of European coasts. There is a real risk of an environmental disaster that could affect the entire Polish coastline, from Kołobrzeg to Jastrzębia Góra.
Russian Nuclear Icebreakers in Action
Due to record ice cover in the Gulf of Finland, Russia has dispatched the Sibir and Murmańsk units to enable transport from key oil ports.
Threat of Disaster off the Polish Coast
Simulations indicate that a spill from a Russian tanker would contaminate beaches from Kołobrzeg to Jastrzębia Góra, causing losses estimated in the billions of zlotys.
Authorities' Inaction Towards the Shadow Fleet
Greenpeace accuses the German government of ignoring eight stateless tankers that regularly violate safety in the waters of the Baltic Sea.
The current situation in the Baltic Sea is the most difficult in many years. Severe frosts have caused thick ice cover to form in the Gulf of Finland, forcing Russia to take extraordinary measures. Nuclear-powered icebreakers, including the Sibir and Murmańsk, have been deployed to clear routes to the ports of Primorsk and Vysotsk. Vessels lacking the appropriate ice class have been strictly prohibited from entering ports without escort. Delays in oil transport are affecting supply stability in the region, and the Russian corporation Rosatom is mobilizing all available icebreaking resources. For centuries, the Gulf of Finland has been a strategic maritime trade bottleneck, and its freezing has regularly forced Baltic states to maintain costly icebreaker fleets since the 19th century. Simultaneously, Greenpeace has published an alarming report on the so-called shadow fleet. According to the organization's data, at least eight stateless tankers carrying Russian oil have passed through German and Polish territorial waters since mid-December. These vessels are often in very poor technical condition, which, combined with extreme ice conditions, poses a significant threat. Experts from the Helmholtz Hereon research center conducted a simulation showing that a spill of 48,000 tons of oil could completely contaminate beaches from Kołobrzeg to Jastrzębia Góra, leading to a paralysis of tourism and the maritime economy in Poland. „The Russian shadow fleet often consists of near-wrecks that should normally be sold for scrap. Their presence in such a challenging area as the frozen Baltic Sea is playing with fire.” — Greenpeace Representative German authorities are being criticized for their lack of response to vessels violating safety standards. Greenpeace points out that these tankers have violated the German exclusive economic zone eleven times in recent months without any consequences. This situation highlights gaps in international law regarding the control of vessels flying third-country flags that are circumventing global sanctions. German EEZ: 11, Stateless (vessels): 8, Simulated Spills (thousand tons): 48 48,000 t — of oil threatens to contaminate the Polish coast