Russian Ship Traffic in Strait of Gibraltar Hits Monthly Record, With 88 Crossings in September
Russian maritime traffic is breaking records in the Strait of Gibraltar, between Morocco and Spain. In August and September, 151 crossings were recorded, including 88 in September alone. Tankers, cargo ships and military vessels are using this strategic route.
Eighty-eight Russian crossings in September. A record since data collection began in 2016. The previous month, 63 crossings had already been recorded. In just two months, traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar therefore reached 151 movements, according to observations by Michael J. Sánchez, a specialist in Russian maritime traffic, published Saturday by Europa Sur.
On Bladi.net : After Passing Along Morocco and Stopping in Algeria, a Russian Cargo Ship Is Attacked by Drones
September illustrates the intensity of the traffic: 61 crossings toward the Atlantic and 27 toward the Mediterranean. Tankers and cargo ships account for the vast majority of this traffic. Five movements by Russian military vessels were also recorded over the two months.
This activity is part of the reorganization of Russian trade routes. Merchant ships continue to use the strait, an essential passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, while Moscow periodically steps up military escorts for them.
Russian cargo ships escorted by warships
On August 27, a particularly noteworthy convoy sailed along the Moroccan coast. The destroyer Admiral Levchenko was escorting the cargo ship Sparta, the tanker General Skobelev and the supply ship Akademik Pashin.
These military escorts are becoming more frequent amid Western sanctions against Russia. A naval specialist interviewed by Europa Sur said the presence of warships could deter attempts to intercept certain Russian commercial vessels.
On Bladi.net : After three days in Algeria, a sanctioned Russian ship passes near Morocco
Morocco thus finds itself at the heart of a maritime route increasingly used by Russian vessels. Off its coast, the strait remains subject to the international regime of transit passage. This legal framework guarantees foreign ships freedom of passage, notes Jesús Verdú, a professor of international law at the University of Cádiz.
Russian traffic is part of a maritime zone where the interests of several powers intersect, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom and the coastal countries. With 88 crossings recorded in September, Russia has set a new monthly record there.
