Greek Navy Extends Naval Drills to Deter Russian Oil

By Alex Longley (Bloomberg) Greece’s navy has (once again) extended a series of naval drills by two months as the country tries to deter Russian oil transfers on its coastline. 

The maneuvers, which had been due to end in the coming days, will now continue until November — more than six months after they first started — according to a notice on the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service’s website. 

The country’s Laconian bay at one point became a hotspot of ship-to-ship transfers between aging tankers carrying Russian oil. As a result, Athens announced in May that it would be carrying out naval drills in the bay, therefore prohibiting the entry of commercial vessels. 

The government has previously said the drills were aimed at stopping risky transfers of cargo that the world’s shipping watchdog has said pose a risk to maritime safety.

As a result, trans-shipments of Russian oil have moved to a host of new locations, including others in the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea and off the coast of West Africa.  

Also read: Naval Exercises Intensify as Greece Aims to Prevent Russian Oil Transfers

© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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