West Africa is emerging as a fast-growing hub for Russian ship-to-ship (STS) oil activities.
The average number of meetings in Lome and Lagos during 2022 was 3.25. In H1 of 2023, that average in Togo and Nigeria increased to 26 – a 700% increase, new data from Israeli firm Windward shows. Data clearly indicates that most oil that has been transferred via a STS meeting with a vessel that came from Russia is headed to Africa. Africa has seen the greatest post-war increase in such voyages, with an increase of 255%.
STS operations in Malacca in Southeast Asia, meanwhile, increased by 200% when comparing Q1 to Q2 2023.
Both Malta and Kalamata hubs saw a 50% increase in meetings. Malta and Greece are European Union member states, but both publicly tried to object to the recently released sanctions package.
Ships caught carrying out STS transfers of suspected Russian oil in European waters will be banned from ports, as part of the 11th package of sanctions unveiled by the bloc last month.
