Russian shadow fleet

Early day motion 2434, tabled 4 December 2025 by Steve Darling (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 25 members.

That this House recognises that the Baltic Sea, and specifically Danish waters, form a strategic maritime choke-point on which the Russian shadow fleet relies to export oil, and that the operation of this fleet presents a serious threat to sanctions on Russian oil and on the environment; notes that a new multilateral convention could regulate the conditions of passage for all commercial ships transiting the Baltic by requiring vessels to hold valid insurance, be flagged to a legitimate state, carry certified crews and meet seaworthiness and safety certification standards, with inspection or denial of passage where compliance cannot be demonstrated; believes that such measures would uphold international law, enhance environmental protection in one of the world’s most fragile enclosed seas, and significantly disrupt Russia’s oil export system by increasing the compliance costs and legal risks faced by sanctions-busting networks; and urges the Government, together with European and Baltic partners, to support the development of a modern Copenhagen framework to lawfully constrain the Russian shadow fleet and reduce the Kremlin’s ability to fund its aggression.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 17, Green 4, Labour 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Scottish National Party 1, Traditional Unionist Voice 1.