US, UK, others seek to target illicit oil shipping transfers at sea

The U.S., UK, Denmark and other countries have called for more action, including increased surveillance, over the booming practice of unregulated oil transfers at sea, as fears grow over potential pollution, according to a paper submitted to the U.N.
“These transfers undermine the rules-based international order and increase the risk of pollution to nearby coastal States. The paper said, this threatens global efforts to prevent pollution from ships.”
The paper was submitted to United Nations shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), by the member states ahead of a major marine environment protection committee session in July. It was also backed by Australia, Canada, Spain and Ukraine.
Hundreds of “ghost” tankers, which are not fully regulated, have joined this opaque parallel trade over the past few years, carrying oil from countries hit by Western sanctions and restrictions, including Russia and Iran.