Latest news with #Windward
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
EU sanctions envoy says Ireland must 'beef up' Naval Service
The European Union's Sanctions Envoy has said Ireland needs to make significant improvements to its Naval Service in order to better monitor its maritime zone and address the ongoing movement of sanctioned Russian vessels off the west coast. David O'Sullivan told RTÉ that Ireland "really needs to beef up our capacity and patrol and police our territorial waters," and described the Naval Service as in "poor shape." Mr O'Sullivan, a former EU Ambassador to the United States, is now responsible for trying to stop Russia's attempts to evade European sanctions which are designed to cut off funding for its war in Ukraine. Earlier RTÉ reported that vessels belonging to Russia's so called 'shadow fleet' regularly transited through the Irish maritime Exclusive Economic Zone – a large area extending into the Atlantic off the west coast which is the site of major undersea cables and shipping lanes. The shadow fleet vessels are used to help Russia export oil and circumvent oil price caps imposed as part of western sanctions. Asked about what Ireland could do to help tackle the activities of shadow fleet vessels off Ireland, Mr O'Sullivan said "unfortunately I think the Irish Naval Serice is not equipped to be able to deal with this at the present time". There are "many reasons" why the Irish naval service needs to be revamped, he said, adding the shadow fleet is a "new imperative to which Ireland will have to respond." Non-military vessels – including sanctioned vessels – can legally transit through an EEZ but are required to have the correct insurance in place when moving through certain areas, including busy shipping lanes like those off the west coast. However, analysts say the vessels in the Russian shadow fleet are typically poorly maintained and lack proper insurance. 'Shadow fleet' vessels have also conducted activities considered risky at sea, including turning off location transponders and conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers. The data reported earlier by RTÉ showed that some 245 shadow fleet vessels passed through Ireland's maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) more than 450 times so far this year. The figures were provided by maritime intelligence company Windward which uses satellite imagery and AI technology to spot, analyse and monitor ships, including those which turn their transponders off. Windward's data included information on routes taken through the Irish EEZ by 72 vessels which have been directly named on sanctions lists. Experts have warned that the movement through Irish waters of shadow fleet vessels poses a serious environmental risk and undermines international efforts to isolate Russia's energy sector which is used to fund the country's war in Ukraine. David O'Sullivan accepted there "would, in any event, be limits to what the naval service could do," to a non-military vessel within an EEZ, before adding "but obviously this pleads, yet again, our vulnerability to this kind of activity, to the risks to undersea cables, and the fact that we really need to beef up our capacity and patrol and police our territorial waters." He said the European Union wants to stop the transit of these shadow fleet vessels but said it is a difficult task to completely stop their transit. "Member states are tightening their controls. The UK has done that through the English Channel" he said. "I think what is now happening in the Irish case, is that the Russian ships are going around the coast of Ireland into Ireland's economic zone, but not our territorial waters, and escaping the kind of checks say in the Baltic Sea.... or that the British are doing, of asking to see proof of the insurance." Asked about its monitoring of 'shadow fleet' activity within the Irish EEZ, the Defence Forces said: "While it is our policy not to comment on specific operational matters, all relevant information gathered in support of Maritime Domain Awareness is shared in a timely manner with the appropriate national and international authorities. "The Defence Forces, through the deployment of Naval Service and Air Corps assets, maintains a continuous presence and vigilance within Ireland's maritime domain. We monitor all activity within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as part of our routine operations to ensure the security and integrity of our waters."
Irish Post
7 days ago
- Business
- Irish Post
Irish EEZ passed through hundreds of times by Russian shadow fleet
450 transits by suspected Russian 'shadow fleet' vessels have been recorded in Irish waters in the first seven months of this year. According to satellite data from maritime intelligence firm Windward, nearly 250 ships believed to be part of the covert fleet passed through Ireland's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between January and July. The vessels are linked to efforts by Russia to sidestep EU and US sanctions imposed in response to its invasion of Ukraine. These sanctions target the export of Russian oil, which continues to fund the country's war effort. Many of the tankers are described by Windward analysts as ageing, under-maintained, and lacking proper insurance. They often operate under 'flags of convenience' from countries like Liberia, Panama, Malta, and the Marshall Islands, jurisdictions known for minimal oversight. Windward's analysis found that more than 70 of the ships that transited through Irish waters were directly listed in EU and US sanctions databases. During the first five months of the year alone, 40 vessels had clear Russian ties, including several flying the Russian flag and others owned by Russian companies. Their passage through Irish waters, often without docking, has raised the alarm among maritime experts and political observers. Ireland's EEZ, which stretches around 370 km off the west coast, is a critical maritime zone with several major international shipping lanes and undersea cables. Experts warn that the continued movement of these ships through Irish waters undermines international efforts to isolate Russia economically. 'These ships are like vehicles on Irish roads without an NCT or insurance,' said Tony Cudmore, a retired brigadier general with the Irish Defence Forces, to RTE. 'They're poorly maintained, possibly crewed by underqualified personnel, and pose a real danger—not just to the environment, but to Irish sovereignty.' Some shadow fleet vessels have been linked to damage to subsea infrastructure, particularly in the Baltic Sea. Recent examples include Sweden seizing a ship suspected of damaging a cable linking the country with Latvia, at the beginning of the year. Furthermore NATO launched its new 'Baltic Sea Mission' this year, after numerous cables were damaged in 2024. Another example is an open investigation by Finland, into suspected Russian sabotage into cables damaged between their country and Estonia. There are worries that similar incidents could happen off the Irish coast, where undersea cables are vital to global communications and trade. Several of the ships tracked this year have engaged in suspicious or high-risk behaviour, including turning off their location transponders or conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers. One such vessel, the Valentin Pikul, passed through Irish waters in March and was later involved in oil transfers near Murmansk. Others, including the Russian-flagged Bratsk, Belgorod, and Primorye, were recorded going 'dark' for periods while navigating near Donegal, Clare, and off the western seaboard according to Windward. The Irish Defence Forces said they monitor maritime activity continuously and share intelligence with national and international partners. The Irish Coast Guard, through its search and rescue and pollution response roles, also tracks ship movements and has detected multiple sanctioned Russian vessels in Irish waters since the start of the year, according to RTE A recent EU directive requires all vessels transiting through EU EEZs, including Ireland's, to provide valid proof of insurance, even if they don't dock. However, enforcement of such rules remains challenging. Earlier this year, German authorities seized a Panama-flagged tanker off the Baltic coast carrying 100,000 tonnes of Russian oil. The incident has been cited as an example of the type of enforcement Ireland could pursue. Despite sanctions from the EU, Britain and the US, including bans on over 400 Russian-linked tankers, Russia's oil export levels have remained relatively stable. The International Energy Agency reported an average of 7.5 million barrels per day exported in 2024, only slightly down from pre-war figures. Professor John O'Brennan of Maynooth University said the persistence of shadow fleet operations highlights a gap in enforcement across EU member states. 'Russia has successfully exploited inconsistent national responses,' he said. 'If countries like Ireland don't step up their enforcement efforts, these vessels will continue to slip through the cracks.'
RTÉ News
24-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Data flags hundreds of Russian 'shadow fleet' visits to Irish EEZ
Some 245 so-called 'shadow fleet' vessels passed through Ireland's maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) more than 450 times in the first seven months of this year, according to data obtained by RTÉ. Several countries under international sanctions operate "shadow fleets". Most of the vessels, many of which analysts say are poorly maintained and lack proper insurance, are Russian-affiliated and used to help Russia export oil and circumvent oil price caps imposed as part of western sanctions. Seventy two vessels which have been directly named on sanctions lists transited through the Irish EEZ in the time period, which covers 1 January to 23 July. Experts have warned that their continued movement through Irish waters poses a serious environmental risk and undermines international efforts to isolate Russia's energy sector which is used to fund the country's war in Ukraine. Ireland's maritime EEZ extends roughly 370km off the west coast and is the site of major international shipping routes and multiple globally-important undersea cables. Countries are obligated under the UN Law of the Sea to monitor activities within their EEZ, prevent illegal activity, and control pollution. Vessels suspected of being part of the Russian shadow fleet often use deceptive practices, including falsifying paperwork, to try to obscure the origin, destination and selling price of Russian oil on board. They have been linked to damage caused to undersea cables in recent months, in particular in the Baltic Sea. Shadow fleet vessels have also conducted activities considered risky at sea, including turning off location transponders and conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers. The figures for activity in the Irish EEZ were provided by maritime intelligence company Windward, which uses satellite imagery and AI technology to spot and monitor ships, including those which turn their transponders off. A specific break down of the data on visits to the Irish EEZ during the first five months of the year was also provided by Windward. It showed that 40 of the 162 vessels which entered the Irish EEZ during that time frame were directly sanctioned with clear Russian affiliation. Five of those were sailing under the Russian flag, while six were beneficially-owned by Russian companies. Most of the others were flying under what are known as "flags of convenience," meaning they were registered in countries with minimal oversight. These can be used to disguise ownership and thereby avoid scrutiny and evade sanctions. Windward links the others to the shadow fleet through research and analysis of maritime activities. The top five "flags of convenience" on shadow fleet vessels travelling through the Irish EEZ were from the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Malta, Comoros and Panama. Asked about its monitoring of shadow fleet activity within the Irish EEZ, the Defence Forces said, "while it is our policy not to comment on specific operational matters, all relevant information gathered in support of Maritime Domain Awareness is shared in a timely manner with the appropriate national and international authorities." "The Defence Forces, through the deployment of Naval Service and Air Corps assets, maintains a continuous presence and vigilance within Ireland's maritime domain. We monitor all activity within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as part of our routine operations to ensure the security and integrity of our waters." Irish Coast Guard data released Separately, data from the Irish Coast Guard released under the Freedom of Information Act and analysed by RTÉ,shows that the service also picked up signals from four western sanctioned Russian registered vessels in Irish EEZ waters since the turn of the year. RTÉ used vessel tracking website to trace the activities of these vessels around the time they were referenced in the Coast Guard data. The Valentin Pikul carried out three ship-to-ship transfers with a Russian bunkering vessel in Murmansk in northwestern Russia between 30 March and 10 April, one week after it passed through Irish EEZ waters on 23 and 24 March. The European Union-sanctioned Russian vessel Bratsk sailed through the Irish EEZ on 26 and 27 April, turning off its location transponder as it proceeded north off the Donegal coast. The Russian-flagged crude oil tanker Belgorod transmitted intermittent location data as it travelled through Ireland's EEZ on 6 and 7 May, two months after EU sanctions on the vessel were announced. The Primoyre passed the Irish coast twice between 13 April and 2 May, going 'dark' to location tracking services for periods while off the coast of Clare and later Donegal. Tony Cudmore, a retired Brigadier General with the Irish Defence Forces, said "an awful lot of this activity is intended to provoke and possibly to call into question the State's authority." "The danger is that a perception is being created that the State's authority in this area is being diminished," he added. He warned that there is also a significant environmental risk linked to the oil tankers, and that the clean-up cost would likely have to be borne by Ireland in the event of an oil spill while a vessel was uninsured. "These ships are like having vehicles travelling on your roads which have no NCT. They have no insurance. They probably have not been serviced correctly. It's quite possible that even their drivers, their masters, may not have professional competence," he said. As of May 2025, vessels transiting through EU EEZ waters, including Ireland, are required to provide proof of valid insurance even if they do not enter an EU port. CEO and co-founder of Windward, Ami Daniel, said some countries have recently started to take enforcement actions, and Ireland could follow their lead. "In the last month or two we are seeing the UK and the EU take a voluntary approach of questioning vessels who are transiting, on the radio - asking for their insurance coverage and other safety parameters," Mr Daniel said. In January, German authorities confiscated an oil tanker believed to be part of the Russian shadow fleet off the country's Baltic Sea coast. The Panama-flagged vessel, the Eventin, had been on its way from Russia to Egypt with a cargo of around 100,000 metric tons of oil, worth some €40 million. Ami Daniel believes Ireland could take other steps to challenge vessels operating without insurance or valid maintenance records. "It's not just enforcement at sea. It's enforcement on the flags [of convenience] and what they do with the flag states," Mr Daniel said. "The Irish Government can absolutely reach out to them and send them letters. For instance, are they allowing them to do ship-to-ship transfers and get fuel or other provisions while out there?" he added. The Department of Transport told RTÉ that the Irish Coast Guard, through its responsibility for search and rescue, maritime casualty and pollution response, actively monitors traffic in Irish waters and recognises the "risk that some of these vessels pose." "These risks include the increased possibility of a maritime casualty and search and rescue incidents from such vessels. For this reason, the Coast Guard has instituted specific measures to monitor the presence of these vessels and passage through and out of Irish EEZ" it said in a statement. Sanctions impact Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU, UK and the US have imposed restrictions on Russia's energy sector, aiming to weaken its economy and limit its ability to fund the war. As part of that, specific ships have been banned from EU territorial waters, denied insurance, and prevented from accessing certain maritime services as well as all European ports and territorial waters. Last week the EU announced its 18th sanctions package against Russia which includes an additional 105 vessels being banned from accessing EU ports and locks, or undertaking ship-to-ship transfers of oil. The UK also placed sanctions on 135 oil tankers in Russia's "shadow fleet" this week. In total, the EU has now imposed sanctions on more than 400 shadow fleet ships. All European ports are also effectively barred from temporarily storing, handling, or processing Russian crude oil and petroleum products, with limited exceptions. However, even with the sanctions, income generated by Russia's exports have remained stable. The federation exported 7.8million barrels of oil per day in 2021, a figure that had dipped only slightly three years later to 7.5million barrels per day, as it successfully redirected supplies to countries like China and India, according to the International Energy Agency. John O'Brennan, Professor of European Politics at Maynooth University, attributes that at least in part to the activity of the shadow fleet, and says that individual European countries could do more to step up enforcement at a national level. "Some national authorities within the EU have been less than vigilant about upholding those sanctions. That gap is one that Russia has been successfully able to exploit over the last couple of years," Prof O'Brennan added. Prof O'Brennan noted some Greek shipping owners have been prominent in selling their old vessels on to Russia to repurpose, rather than spending money on scrapping them.
Korea Herald
17-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Windward and SGTraDex Sign Strategic Partnership to Advance Digital Trade Finance Solutions
The Maritime AI leader and Singapore's digital trade infrastructure will collaborate to enhance industry tools and promote digital adoption across the trade finance sector LONDON and SINGAPORE, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Windward, the leading Maritime AI™ company today announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Trade Data Exchange Services Pte. Ltd. ("SGTraDex"), Singapore's digital infrastructure for trade data exchange. The strategic partnership aims to advance digital transformation in supply chain financing by co-developing tools and initiatives that strengthen due diligence, enhance compliance, and enable more informed financing decisions across the trade ecosystem. Under the terms of the MoU, both organizations shall endeavor to jointly develop industry solutions for the purpose of accelerating adoption of digital solutions in trade finance. The collaboration will leverage Windward's advanced Maritime AI™ capabilities and SGTraDex's role as a trusted digital utility connecting supply chain ecosystem partners. Together, the organizations will work to address evolving challenges in trade finance by promoting greater interoperability, transparency, efficiency, and digital connectivity across maritime trade operations. "This partnership with SGTraDex represents a significant step forward in our mission to transform global trade through advanced AI and digital connectivity," said Ami Daniel, CEO and Co-Founder of Windward. "Singapore is a strong leader in both the trade finance industry and global shipping, and SGTraDex is a key digital infrastructure leader in the region, making it the ideal partner for advancing maritime AI solutions. We are proud to collaborate with them to foster innovation that strengthens the integrity and resilience of international maritime trade." "Our collaboration with Windward aligns with SGTraDex's mission to facilitate trusted, secure and inclusive data sharing across supply chain ecosystems," said Tan Chin Hwee, Chairman of SGTraDex. "Windward's cutting-edge Maritime AI capabilities complement our digital infrastructure, creating new opportunities to enhance trade and supply chain efficiency, as well as transparency. Together, we will promote the adoption of digital solutions that streamline information flows and build greater connectivity for the supply and trade ecosystem." About Windward Windward is the leading Maritime AI™ company, providing an all-in-one platform to accelerate global trade. Windward's AI-powered decision support and exception management platform, enhanced with Generative AI, offers a 360° view of the maritime ecosystem and enables stakeholders to make real time, predictive intelligence-driven decisions to achieve business and operational readiness. By integrating advanced AI and Generative AI capabilities, Windward delivers deeper insights, automated risk analysis, and enhanced maritime intelligence and context. Windward's Maritime AI™ supports companies across industries. The company's clients range from energy supermajors, shipowners, mining companies, freight forwarders, and port authorities, to banks, insurers, and governmental organizations. For more information visit: About SGTraDex Launched on 1 June 2022, the Singapore Trade Data Exchange ("SGTraDex") is a digital utility that facilitates the sharing of data between supply chain ecosystem partners, streamlining information flows through a common data highway where data can be shared in a trusted, secure and inclusive manner. SGTraDex is a public-private partnership founded by IMDA, PSA, Trafigura, DBS, Jurong Port, OCBC, ONE, Advario, PIL, Standard Chartered and UOB. Their proprietary technology aims to resolve pain points in supply chain ecosystems including a heavy reliance on a paper-based system which lacks efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. The move to digitalise information will increase productivity and build supply chain resilience. New efficiencies and opportunities will be unlocked when ecosystem partners can collaborate to achieve a shared visibility of the end-to-end supply chain.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Windward and SGTraDex Sign Strategic Partnership to Advance Digital Trade Finance Solutions
The Maritime AI leader and Singapore's digital trade infrastructure will collaborate to enhance industry tools and promote digital adoption across the trade finance sector LONDON and SINGAPORE, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Windward, the leading Maritime AI™ company today announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Trade Data Exchange Services Pte. Ltd. ("SGTraDex"), Singapore's digital infrastructure for trade data exchange. The strategic partnership aims to advance digital transformation in supply chain financing by co-developing tools and initiatives that strengthen due diligence, enhance compliance, and enable more informed financing decisions across the trade ecosystem. Under the terms of the MoU, both organizations shall endeavor to jointly develop industry solutions for the purpose of accelerating adoption of digital solutions in trade finance. The collaboration will leverage Windward's advanced Maritime AI™ capabilities and SGTraDex's role as a trusted digital utility connecting supply chain ecosystem partners. Together, the organizations will work to address evolving challenges in trade finance by promoting greater interoperability, transparency, efficiency, and digital connectivity across maritime trade operations. "This partnership with SGTraDex represents a significant step forward in our mission to transform global trade through advanced AI and digital connectivity," said Ami Daniel, CEO and Co-Founder of Windward. "Singapore is a strong leader in both the trade finance industry and global shipping, and SGTraDex is a key digital infrastructure leader in the region, making it the ideal partner for advancing maritime AI solutions. We are proud to collaborate with them to foster innovation that strengthens the integrity and resilience of international maritime trade." "Our collaboration with Windward aligns with SGTraDex's mission to facilitate trusted, secure and inclusive data sharing across supply chain ecosystems," said Tan Chin Hwee, Chairman of SGTraDex. "Windward's cutting-edge Maritime AI capabilities complement our digital infrastructure, creating new opportunities to enhance trade and supply chain efficiency, as well as transparency. Together, we will promote the adoption of digital solutions that streamline information flows and build greater connectivity for the supply and trade ecosystem." About Windward Windward is the leading Maritime AI™ company, providing an all-in-one platform to accelerate global trade. Windward's AI-powered decision support and exception management platform, enhanced with Generative AI, offers a 360° view of the maritime ecosystem and enables stakeholders to make real time, predictive intelligence-driven decisions to achieve business and operational readiness. By integrating advanced AI and Generative AI capabilities, Windward delivers deeper insights, automated risk analysis, and enhanced maritime intelligence and context. Windward's Maritime AI™ supports companies across industries. The company's clients range from energy supermajors, shipowners, mining companies, freight forwarders, and port authorities, to banks, insurers, and governmental organizations. For more information visit: About SGTraDex Launched on 1 June 2022, the Singapore Trade Data Exchange ("SGTraDex") is a digital utility that facilitates the sharing of data between supply chain ecosystem partners, streamlining information flows through a common data highway where data can be shared in a trusted, secure and inclusive manner. SGTraDex is a public-private partnership founded by IMDA, PSA, Trafigura, DBS, Jurong Port, OCBC, ONE, Advario, PIL, Standard Chartered and UOB. Their proprietary technology aims to resolve pain points in supply chain ecosystems including a heavy reliance on a paper-based system which lacks efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. The move to digitalise information will increase productivity and build supply chain resilience. New efficiencies and opportunities will be unlocked when ecosystem partners can collaborate to achieve a shared visibility of the end-to-end supply chain. For more information, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Singapore Trade Data Exchange Services Pte. Ltd.
