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The head of the world's largest publicly listed oil tanker operator has accused the United Nations maritime rule-making body of “asleep at the wheel” of the increasingly dark fleet of unregulated vessels, saying it is “only a matter of time” before a major disaster occurs.
Frontline CEO Lars Barstad also criticized European governments for failing to enforce rules aimed at limiting trade in Russian oil, saying they were concerned about raising energy prices.
The number of Dark Fleet ships has risen to about a fifth of the global fleet after Russian-linked owners bought hundreds of old ships to circumvent restrictions imposed by Western countries on the country's oil trade.
The potential for disaster was demonstrated in July when the Hafnia Nile, a tanker operated by Singapore-based Hafnia, collided with the Series 1, a Dark Fleet ship carrying Iranian oil, in waters off Malaysia.
According to A Subsequent US Treasury Sanctions Notice Against the owners of Sirius 1, at the time of collision, the ship's radar system was broadcasting an inaccurate position – a common tactic for Dark Fleet ships trying to hide their activities.
Dark Fleet ships, which carry oil from Iran and Venezuela as well as Russia, are generally owned by offshore companies whose ownership is unclear and often lack adequate insurance. They are often registered under the flags of countries that do little to enforce rules regarding regular safety inspections.
Barstad said he was “very concerned” about the growth of the dark fleet, which he said had incentivized a number of “illegal operators” to make an “insane amount of money”.
He added that International Maritime Organization The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations body, has done very little to ensure enforcement of its safety and environmental rules.
“All these ships… are being traded outside the IMO framework,” Barstad said. “They have been sleeping behind the wheel for some time as far as the tankers are concerned.”
Barstad added that there are reports of other unconfirmed accidents besides the Ceres 1 collision. “I am very surprised that we have not seen more such accidents,” he said. “I think it's only a matter of time until we get a big one.”
He added that a ship like the Ceres 1 – which was carrying two million barrels of crude oil – could split in two in a future accident.
“That would be a bigger problem for the environment,” Barstad said. “It could happen any day – the biggest problem is that if it did, no one would know who actually owned the ship or cargo.”
Barstad added that shipowners who adhered to the regulations, such as Frontline, were facing disadvantages because many others were operating at lower costs in unregulated dark fleets. He said that this reflects the unwillingness of politicians to implement sanctions.
“Politicians have decided not to take political risks,” Barstad said, adding that he believes many fear higher energy prices if oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela are truly excluded from international markets.
There have been persistent suggestions that countries such as Denmark – which controls the entrance to the Baltic Sea – and countries on the English Channel should search and detain tankers sailing past their coasts without proper security.
Barstad declined to name specific states but said: “The way the law is being implemented seems to be very tepid. A tough line must be taken if one is serious about this matter.”
In response to Barstad's criticism, the IMO said its General Assembly passed a resolution in late 2023 calling on member states to take tougher action on fraudulent ship registrations and strengthen ship inspections in port.
She also said that member states have a responsibility to ensure that ships flying their flag follow the required rules and to ensure that ships visiting their ports do so.
