Dutch government sends parliament a bill to stop false-flagged shadow fleet ships

The Dutch government sent parliament a bill on 9 October to strengthen action against Russia's shadow fleet, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said. The change to the Foreign Vessels Act would let authorities stop ships sailing under a false flag in the Dutch exclusive economic zone and order them to an anchorage or port for inspection, where a ship could be held and its captain arrested. It would also raise the maximum sentence for falsely flying a Dutch flag to four years in prison. The government says such ships can also be used for espionage or sabotage against North Sea infrastructure, and that their age and lack of insurance threaten safety and the environment.

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