National Security warns of the proliferation of Russian ghost ships carrying crude oil near the Canary Islands

A report from National Security alerts of ghost fleets that use the waters near the Canary Islands and transit through the Alboran Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar. These vessels, mostly Russian tankers, ignore European sanctions and operate near Spanish coasts, posing an environmental and security risk to the archipelago and the rest of the country.

Based on the list of ships sanctioned by the European Union, the Maritime Action Watch and Operations Center (COVAM) has monitored these vessels and reported that an average of 50 vessels from this ghost fleet are registered weekly on the Canary Islands coasts.

According to the document accessed by La Voz, these ghost vessels are involved in transshipping crude and refined oil (of Russian, Venezuelan, and Iranian origin) from small vessels to larger ones. In fact, the report indicates that this type of vessel has quintupled its presence near the Canary Islands in the last year.

The document states that although Spain is a "secondary target" for Russian hybrid activity, there is "growing action" by its tankers on its coasts. National Security points out that these vessels operate near Spanish coasts with the risk of "accidents, pollution, damage to underwater infrastructure, and an eventual, though very unlikely, use as a platform for drone launches."

Despite this reality, National Security states in its report that the possibility of taking legal action against this ghost fleet is "difficult to resolve." It also indicates that these operations require reinforcing naval surveillance, port control, and maritime intelligence.

Thus, National Security has also indicated that these vessels can also carry out "illicit activities" or "sabotage actions against critical infrastructure." In this way, the State Security Forces and Corps are intensifying surveillance of "sensitive areas," such as underwater gas pipelines, ports, and anchorage areas.

At this point, they highlight the relevance of the Integrated Surveillance and External System (SIVE), coastal sensors, and oceanic patrol vessels, as well as the cooperation of the Navy and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to identify ghost fleets and control anomalous maritime traffic.

Since 2011, the European Union has maintained sanctions against Iran for human rights violations in the country, for nuclear proliferation activities and, subsequently, for its military support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In 2022, they expanded those sanctions due to the deterioration of human rights in the country. The European Union has also maintained sanctions against Venezuela and Russia for years, which have intensified since the invasion of Ukraine.