Russia is considering escorting commercial vessels with naval convoys, seeking to strengthen the protection of both its own ships and those of the so-called “shadow fleet.”
In addition, the authorities plan to equip vessels with additional protective measures and are examining the option of deploying armed security teams on board ships flying the Russian flag, presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with Kommersant, published on Wednesday, March 18.
“Ensuring the security of maritime trade is essential under any circumstances,” he said.
In recent weeks, vessels linked to Russia have repeatedly been at the center of incidents. Swedish authorities boarded a ship believed to be part of the “shadow fleet,” following similar actions taken against a grain carrier.
Separately, a tanker carrying Russian liquefied natural gas and under U.S. sanctions halted its course in the Mediterranean earlier this month after an apparent attack by Ukrainian naval drones on a nearby vessel.
“Political, diplomatic, and legal measures to counter the Western campaign targeting Russian shipping are not always effective,” Patrushev said. “Should new threats at sea emerge from European countries, additional measures will be developed.”
According to him, Russia already has a comprehensive set of tools to ensure the security of maritime transport. These include inspections of vessels arriving from abroad. Patrushev, who also heads the Maritime Board, stressed that these measures are being developed in a systematic manner.
He added that the Kremlin has closely studied the America’s Maritime Action Plan presented in February by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Certain provisions of the plan, Patrushev said, could be taken into account in the drafting of new Russian legislation in the shipbuilding sector.
At the same time, the central priority for Moscow remains expanding its own merchant fleet and reducing reliance on shipping conducted under foreign flags, he emphasized.