Cabinet sends bill to parliament to stop Russian shadow fleet ships at sea

The government sent an amendment to the foreign ships act (Wet buitenlandse schepen) to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of parliament, on 9 October. It is meant to allow tougher action against Russia's shadow fleet. Infrastructure Minister Vincent Karremans, Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius and Justice Minister David van Weel submitted it.

If parliament passes the bill, shadow fleet ships sailing under a false flag in the Dutch Exclusive Economic Zone could be stopped and forced to divert to an anchorage or port for further inspection. There a ship can be detained and the captain arrested.

The maximum penalty for sailing under a false (Kingdom) flag would rise to 4 years in prison.

The government describes the shadow fleet as a network of old tankers that Russia uses to evade international sanctions. The ships often sail without a flag or under a false one, and the proceeds finance Russia's war in Ukraine.

The government says the ships can also be used for espionage or sabotage. The North Sea holds infrastructure that is critical for the Netherlands, such as wind farms, drilling platforms and data and electricity cables, which the government says these ships could map and disrupt.

Because the ships are often old and uninsured, the government also sees a risk to maritime safety and the environment. An accident could have enormous consequences, and without valid insurance the costs would be hard to recover.

The bill was drawn up urgently. The Raad van State, the government's top advisory body on legislation, gave urgent advice on it in the summer. In response, the government explained further how the bill fits with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and how it tackles the shadow fleet more effectively.