Moscow to provide naval escort to merchant ships carrying cargo
Moscow will provide naval escort to ships carrying Russian cargo following growing cases of Western navies intercepting such vessels, the country’s maritime board said.
The Maritime Board of Russia, headed by the top Kremlin aide, Nikolai Patrushev, in a meeting on Wednesday, devised a set of rules for countering detention of Russian ships on high seas and international shipping lanes, the portnews.ru web portal for seafarers reported. Although these guidelines primarily cover the Azov-Black Sea basin and the Baltic Sea region, ensuring secure and efficient navigation, it was not clear whether the naval escort would be provided beyond these parts of the World. The decision comes as European nations have stepped up efforts to disrupt Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used by Moscow to deliver hydrocarbons to its traditional customers in India and China, and growing demand in Asian markets in the wake of the West Asia crisis and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.
“Shipowners engaged with Russia have been instructed on how to coordinate with the Navy,” Patrushev announced, saying oversight of cargo ships operating for Russia has been reinforced.
