Skagboer on the lack of preparedness for sea environment: "We can't make a difference if something happens"

If one looks out at the sea early in the morning from Skagen, one will see something that resembles a glowing city on the water.

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> If a major oil spill were to occur, it would indeed be a catastrophe if it were to happen right here along our coast.

> Christian Andersen, resident of Skagen

However, it is not buildings that one can see.

It is a chain of large ships - loaded with thousands of tons of oil, chemicals, or other cargo.

Skagens Reef, the waters off Skagen, is a popular resting place for ocean-going ships, which take a break to think and take supplies on board before the journey continues.

(Map: Google Graphics: Morten Fogde Christensen)

Among other things, it is also a resting place for ships suspected of belonging to the Russian shadow fleet.

Read also: Abandoned oil tankers gather off Skagen: Politician fears environmental catastrophe (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/udtjente-olietankere-samler-sig-ud-skagen-politiker-frygter-miljoekatastrofe )

Yesterday, the Panamanian ship 'Jazz' weighed anchor and left Skagens Reef (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/mistaenkt-skyggeflaadeskib-sejlede-videre-fra-skagen-i-formiddag ) , a ship that had to stay due to being in distress three times during the journey from Russia.

And this also raises concerns among some Skagen residents, that at times there are worn-out ships filled with many thousands of tons of Russian oil off the coast.

P4 Nordjylland met with Christian Andersen, Erik Jacobsen, and Charles Thomsen in the morning.

- Something must be done about it. If a major oil spill were to occur, it would indeed be a catastrophe if it were to happen right here along our coast, says Christian Andersen.

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What is the Russian shadow fleet?

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Russia's so-called shadow fleet is used, among other things, to transport oil from Russia on ships under foreign flags with untraceable ownership.

This makes it possible for Russia to bypass the sanctions that have been imposed on Russia's oil industry from the European side.

The EU has sanctioned 79 ships (https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-sanctions-russia-fleet-ukraine-ships-diplomat-foreign-ministers-kremlin-war-joint-letter-gas/ ) as part of the Russian shadow fleet. The United States has sanctioned 183 ships (https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/tankers/us-sanctions-unprecedented-number-of-shadow-fleet-ships ).

And Charles Thomsen does not care that there are more and more so-called shadow ships carrying Russian oil on the sea off Denmark at the moment.

- We can't do anything if something happens. We can only stand and watch. But they have the right to be there. It is international rules that have been made, so that's just the way it is, says Charles Thomsen.

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> It's just typical Denmark. Everything always comes at the last minute, after the damage has been done.

> Charles Thomsen, resident of Skagen

Today, DR reported that Denmark's marine environmental preparedness is not equipped to handle it if one of the large, worn-out oil tankers were to go wrong and leak massive amounts of oil into the sea.

Read also: Denmark's preparedness is almost chanceless if Russian oil spills into the sea (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/indland/danmarks-beredskab-er-naermest-chanceloest-hvis-russisk-olie-fosser-ud-i-havet )

In 2022, the National Audit Office estimated that the Ministry of Defense's preparedness to combat oil and chemical pollution of the sea is "very unsatisfactory".

- It's just typical Denmark. Everything always comes at the last minute, after the damage has been done. That's how it is, of course, with everything here, says Charles Thomsen.

In the morning, one could see several ocean-going ships lighting up on the water off the coast of Skagen. (Photo: © Christine Nøgaard, DR Nórdjylland)

But it is also an unusual situation, Denmark is currently in, adds Erik Jacobsen:

- It's all new here. We're not used to all this war and filth. Now we have the war in Ukraine and all the ballad about Greenland.

And Christian Andersen agrees:

- When we were boys, we didn't see anything like this.

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'It's an invaluable natural area we have here'

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Vibeke Petersen has lived most of her life in Skagen. She often walks along the beaches, and she also winter swims.

She does not care to think about the risk that a Russian oil tanker might suddenly leak oil into the sea.

And the fact that the Danish marine environmental preparedness has been criticized for being inadequate does not make it any better:

- It scares me enormously. It's an invaluable natural area and protected areas we have here. And if there is oil leakage and the wind is in an unfortunate direction, it will blow all the way up to Grenen and into Aalbæk Bay.

- It would be terrifying if it happened. I can't even think about it, it can probably not.

Read also: Russia's shadow fleet can be used to attack the environment (https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/ruslands-skyggeflaade-kan-bruges-til-angribe-miljoeet )

Perhaps another oil tanker will soon pass by Skagen.

The oil tanker 'Eventin' with nearly 100,000 tons of Russian oil on board had a motor failure last week between Denmark and Germany, and German authorities have reported that the ship will be towed towards Skagen.

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