Explosions rock Putin shadow fleet tanker off Italy coast

A Maltese-flagged oil tanker transporting Russian oil to Europe was rocked by two explosions while docked in the port of Savona in northwestern Italy last week.

The vessel Seajewel was transporting oil from Russia to Europe despite sanctions, making it a part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s so-called “shadow fleet,” Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported on Monday.

Newsweek has contacted Russia’s Foreign Ministry for comment by email.

Why It Matters

Russia’s “shadow fleet” operates in the Baltic Sea and consists of old vessels that often operate under opaque ownership and lack adequate insurance, frequently changing their flag registrations. These vessels account for around 17 percent of oil tankers globally.

Last month, Washington announced fresh sanctions against “an unprecedented number of oil-carrying vessels,” many of which are part of the shadow fleet.

What To Know

Russia put together its shadow fleet to circumvent curbs on its oil exports in response to Western sanctions levied after Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The oil tanker Seajewel suffered a series of explosions while unloading oil in the early hours of Saturday morning, blowing a hole in its hull, Italian news outlet IVG reported on Monday.

“Fortunately, the sheets of the safety chamber held, avoiding the oil spill into the sea and avoiding an environmental disaster,” the publication reported, noting that authorities said the ship isn’t at risk of sinking.

Crew members reported hearing two loud bangs, after which they discovered that the hull plates had been bent inward.

Investigators are exploring multiple theories regarding the cause of the explosions, including the possibility of a terrorist attack, according to IVG.

The Seajewel incident comes just days after another oil tanker, the Koala, was rocked by an explosion while docked in Ust-Luga, a port in northwest Russia near Putin’s home city of St. Petersburg. The vessel, flagged under Antigua and Barbuda and reportedly linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” suffered an engine room explosion on February 9, prompting an emergency crew evacuation.

The country’s federal shipping agency confirmed an incident on Koala on February 9. “An explosion took place in the engine room” of the vessel, forcing the crew to evacuate, Russia’s Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport, Rosmorrechflot, said.

What People Are Saying

The mayor of Italy’s port city Savona, Marco Russo, and the mayor of the town Vado Ligure, Fabio Gilardi, said: “We are in constant contact with the relevant authorities. We know that the situation is monitored and supervised in every aspect. At the moment, we will not say anything else out of respect for the activities in progress.”

What Happens Next

Investigations into the Seajewel incident are ongoing.