Panama is tightening the requirements for the registration of commercial vessels to combat the 'shadow fleet' that circumvents international sanctions on the transportation of Russian oil, the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service reported.
According to intelligence, starting this month, Panama will cease the registration of oil tankers older than 15 years. This could significantly impact global maritime trade, as Panama is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of the number of registered vessels. Additionally, tankers flying the Panamanian flag will be regularly inspected to ensure they meet safety standards.
'The new restrictions directly affect a part of the Russian 'shadow fleet', as many tankers transporting Russian oil are 20-25 years old,' noted the FIS.
Also, the Maritime Authority of the Bahamas has ceased the registration of vessels owned by Russian companies that sail under the Bahamian flag and have ties to Russia. This could lead to their exclusion from the state ship registry.
Panama and the Bahamas have tightened the requirements for ship registration to prevent their use to circumvent international sanctions in the trade of Russian oil.