While the schadenfreude of this #Russian tanker breaking in half from the storm feels good-- this is a potential environmental disaster as well as a byproduct of #sanctions.
Both Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 are disrespectfully, old ass #tankers that should have been retired and out of commission LONG ago. Picture below of Volgoneft 212's decrepit looking self for context.
The average lifespan of a tanker is 20 to 30 years and both tankers date back to being operated since the late 1960's along with preliminary information coming out that "suggest an internal failure due to an improperly done shortening center of vessel cut out, bow and welded together for river-sea standards in the 1990s. This is believed to have left a large seam that came apart due to extreme seas." So gross negligence and incompetence on top of an already old tanker. I expect as much from Russia.
So how does this exactly tie to #sanctions? It's simple. Repairs, parts and pieces and any new modifications to the #Russian oil fleet is going to be hard to come by when you are cut off from the US financial system. It doesn't matter for most companies paying for a shipment of repair parts from one #Sberbank to another, chances are your customer outside of Russia for this much needed part is going to come into contact with the American dominated SWIFT system which will find your #USSanctioned payment and deny you.
#UkraineRussiaWar #RussiaUkraine #oilandgas #Ukraine #UkraineWar
