Request to EU Commission for Sanctions Against Okeanis Eco and Kyklades Maritime of the Alafouzos Group Over Links to Russia’s Shadow Fleet

The MEP of Renew Europe, Petras Auštrevičius, submitted a question to the European Commission, requesting the imposition of sanctions against Greek shipping companies. According to what the MEP says successful his question, which was posted connected the ιστότοπος of the European Parliament, shipping companies owned by the Alafouzos family, with tankers linked to Russia’s shadiness fleet, are transporting Russian oil.

In his question, helium mentions that Okeanis Eco Tankers, listed connected the New York Stock Exchange, and Kyklades Maritime Corporation, are knowingly fueling Russia’s war instrumentality and transporting Russian oil.

He besides mentions that the shipping companies of Economou and Tsakos person sold their tankers to the Russian shadiness fleet. He further notes that the EU has imposed sanctions connected Russia’s shadiness fleet and asks what will hap with persons progressive successful the transportation of Russian oil.

Auštrevičius’s Question
In his question, the Lithuanian MEP states: “In caller months, concerns person emerged astir the relation of EU-based shipping companies – chiefly Greek – successful the continued merchantability of vessels to actors linked to Russia’s shadiness fleet, which is transporting Russian oil. Reports bespeak that Okeanis Eco Tankers, listed connected the New York Stock Exchange, and Kyklades Maritime Corporation, some owned by the Alafouzos family, person continued shipping Russian oil.”

He besides notes that: “Open-source investigations uncover that a small fig of individuals sold billions of euro worth of tankers to opaque buyers and these vessels are present operating successful the shadiness fleet. In 2024, 14 erstwhile Greek-owned ships, worth USD 480 million, ended up successful this fleet, with TMS Tankers of Georges Economou and Tsakos Energy Navigation among the sellers.”

He points retired that successful 2023, “some Greek shipping companies, including TMS Tankers, were listed by Ukraine as ‘Sponsors of War’.”

And helium concludes: “While the EU’s 15th-18th sanctions packages person expanded vessel blacklists, nary idiosyncratic EU shipowners person faced idiosyncratic sanctions.

1. Does the Commission mean to suggest sanctions against EU individuals and companies that knowingly alteration the shadiness fleet?
2. How will sanctions enforcement target EU actors circumventing the lipid terms cap?