Putting the politics aside, the dark fleet is a major disaster waiting to happen. We’ve already seen some small ones. These things are near or more usually past 4th special survey (which it normally the “retirement” age of big tankers), horrible maintained racking up multiple PSC violations every time they put into a non-Russian allied port.
Nobody wants one of these to sink or blow up in heavily trafficked European waters.
And Russian regulars are aboard posed at ratings so they can keep the officers in line. Both the officers and ratings work in horrible, dangerous conditions.
I happen to agree with the politics: Europe must stop Russia or we’ll be next. But you don’t have to agree with that to see what a monumental danger these ships and their operations are.
Putting the politics aside, the dark fleet is a major disaster waiting to happen. We’ve already seen some small ones. These things are near or more usually past 4th special survey (which it normally the “retirement” age of big tankers), horrible maintained racking up multiple PSC violations every time they put into a non-Russian allied port.
Nobody wants one of these to sink or blow up in heavily trafficked European waters.
And Russian regulars are aboard posed at ratings so they can keep the officers in line. Both the officers and ratings work in horrible, dangerous conditions.
I happen to agree with the politics: Europe must stop Russia or we’ll be next. But you don’t have to agree with that to see what a monumental danger these ships and their operations are.