This ban follows the European Union's 14th sanctions package against Russia, which specifically targeted these 27 ships. The Danish authorities have instructed pilots to verify the ships’ IMO numbers, as vessels in the so-called "shadow fleet" may change their names to evade detection.
These shadow fleet ships often anchor off Skagen to take on supplies, provisions, and bunker oil before continuing their journey. The Danish government has been in discussions with neighboring countries for several months to find ways to prevent Russia’s shadow fleet from transiting the Baltic Sea, a matter that gained urgency following a collision involving a Russian shadow tanker earlier this year.
Approximately one-third of Russia's seaborne oil exports pass through the Danish straits, with around one-third of these vessels having unknown insurance coverage.