ATHENS (Reuters) – The Greek navy on Wednesday extended an advisory effectively banning ship traffic off its coastline in the southeastern Peloponnese that two sources said was aimed at deterring ship-to-ship transfers of Russian oil off Greece.
Greece in a rare move over the past weeks has issued two NAVTEX notices for military exercises in the Laconian Gulf area urging merchants and other vessels to avoid the area. One of them was issued on May 1.
“It was initially expiring on May 9 but was extended today,” said a defense ministry official who declined to be named.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, international sanctions have made trading Russian crude and oil products increasingly difficult, prompting traders to seek loopholes to export them, including offshore ship-to-ship transfers.
The wider area of the Laconian Gulf has become a hub for such transfers. Vessels are positioned beyond the limit of six nautical miles from the shore to avoid cargo and vessel checks by Greek authorities.
“You cannot perform an inspection on a ship with a foreign flag in international waters. Unless a vessel carries a Greek flag your hands are tied,” said a second source with knowledge of the matter.
“The NAVTEX advisory is an indirect way to prevent such activities.”
(Reporting by Renee Maltezou; editing by Jason Neely)
