The EU intends to ban tankers violating anti-russian sanctions from entering its ports

The European Union plans to ban ships that try to circumvent Western sanctions by exceeding the price ceiling for russian oil from entering its ports.

This proposal is contained in the 11th package of sanctions being considered by the EU, which will be aimed primarily at closing loopholes through which russia manages to circumvent sanctions, Bloomberg writes, citing documents from the European Commission.

It is proposed to ban access to European ports, in particular, for tankers that are found or suspected of loading russian oil from one ship to another.

This is usually done to conceal the origin or to mix it with other grades. Popular locations for such operations, which have become especially widespread since the embargo on russian oil supplies to the EU was imposed in December, are off the coast of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, and the Greek city of Kalamata.

According to the International Energy Agency, the weighted average price of russian oil for export exceeded the $60 per barrel ceiling set by the European Union and the G7 in April. And the ESPO grade, which is shipped mainly to China, has been selling in the Far East for $74 per barrel in recent weeks.

The EU and the G7 are also proposing to impose sanctions against russia's shadow fleet, whose tankers use transponder manipulation, turning them off at sea or not transmitting information about their destination port. According to Bloomberg, about a third of oil is exported from russian ports in this way.

Background. As reported, the European Commission has sent proposals to EU countries for the 11th package of sanctions against russia.