Overview

• An EEAS paper urges member states to back a maritime declaration that would let EU countries arrange inspections with flag states through pre‑authorized boarding agreements.
• EU foreign ministers will discuss the plan on Monday, after which top diplomat Kaja Kallas intends to seek Council authorization to open negotiations with identified flag states.
• The draft frames the shadow fleet as an environmental, navigation and security risk, citing suspected drone use from vessels and recent enforcement actions such as France’s boarding of the tanker Boracay.
• Brussels is expanding pressure on the shadow‑fleet ecosystem with further listings and possible curbs on tanker refueling, and the EEAS highlights a surge in fake flag registrations.
• The EU is engaging priority registries and coastal states, noting Panama’s pledge to deregister EU‑sanctioned ships and to stop registering vessels older than 15 years, while the upcoming 19th sanctions package would raise listed vessels to about 560 and advance the LNG import ban to Jan. 1, 2027.