Suez Canal requires inspections for ships aged 25 and over, a step The Insider says will hit Russia's shadow fleet

The Suez Canal Authority has introduced compulsory inspections and trials for vessels aged 25 years or more before they may transit the canal, Splash247 reports. The rules are already in force, apply to all ship types and require fees to be paid in advance; a ship returning within six months need not repeat the checks if no defects or breakdowns were recorded. The authority has not said what the inspections will cost or how long they will take. The Insider, which links the measure to Russia's shadow fleet, says it counted at least 39 shadow fleet vessels over 25 years old and notes the canal has become one of the main routes for Russian oil heading to Asia.

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