The Assembly of the International Maritime Organization adopted a resolution urging Member States to ensure that the ships flying their flags are not operated within the framework of "shadow" or "hidden" fleets, which are used to circumvent the sanctions agreed upon by the Assembly or the United Nations Security Council. The The report states that for 'shadow fleet' or 'shadow fleet' "hidden" means vessels used in operations in order to circumvent sanctions, circumvent compliance with the safety or environmental standards, avoid insurance costs or engage in other illegal activities, including, but not limited to, others, those aimed at intentionally avoiding Port inspections State Control, not to operate according to a governance policy transparent company that guarantees the well-being and safety of those on board and the protection of the marine environment, e.g. intentionally take steps to avoid detection of ship, such as disabling AIS or LRIT transmissions, or concealing the actual identity of the ship if there is no legitimate concern sufficient to justify such action.

In particular, highlighting as a serious source of concern The fact that the ships of the shadow fleets represent a real and high risk of accidents, in particular when ship-to-ship (STS) operations to transfer cargo from ship to ship in order to disguise the destination or origin of the loads, or to avoid supervision by flag or coastal states and their rules, the resolution calls on flag states to ensure that ships flying their flag adhere to measures prohibiting or legally regulating STS transfers, and in addition, that such ships comply with the spirit of the security requirements, and prevention of pollution contained in the IMO Conventions,

The resolution also calls on flag states to take into account the consideration of the possibility of requiring ships to flying their flag to update their STS operations, including notification to your flag State when and where they are engaged in such operations, in particular particularly when they are engaged in an STS transfer in between to the ocean. The resolution therefore calls on Member States to monitor the ship-to-ship operations that take place in their territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.

The resolution also recommends that port States, when become aware of ships that intentionally take measures To avoid being detected, how to turn off AIS transmissions or LRIT or conceal their actual identity, to submit to thorough inspections and, after an initial investigation to check if the ship had stopped transmitting signals for reasons legitimate, if necessary inform the flag administration of the ship.

The resolution makes no reference to this, but it is clearly aimed at targeting STS activities implemented to to circumvent the sanctions against Russia adopted after the Moscow's troops have invaded Ukrainian territory, Russia In recent days, for the first time, she was not elected in the Council of the International Maritime Organization ( of 1 December 2023).