Poland in the UN

On November 21, 2025, Poland participated in the UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on maritime safety and security in the context of protection of seafarers.

The full statement delivered by Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the UN in New York, is available below:

Mister President,

I would like to begin by expressing our gratitude to Greece, India, and the Philippines for organising this timely debate. Let me also thank the briefers for their insightful remarks. Poland supports the statement delivered earlier by the EU. Now, I would like to add a few comments in my national capacity.

Mister President,

Poland recognises the important role that seafarers play in global trade and supply chains. We are also concerned about numerous risks they face, including those arising from piracy, terrorism, and attacks on vessels. In this context, a particularly significant threat to seafarers is posed by the Russian shadow fleet. Using the fleet, Moscow manages to circumvent sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its military aggression against Ukraine. The fleet itself is composed of old and non-inspected vessels with doubtful insurance and a murky ownership structure. Yet with clear purposes: one of them being to secure Russia’s economic interests and financing its invasion of Ukraine.

Mister President,

The shadow fleet’s activities result in various risks worldwide. Environmentally, the irresponsible Russian behaviour at sea causes numerous oil spills. To name just a few: June 2025 and a fire onboard of the 23-year-old tanker and a subsequent leakage in the Gulf of Oman; or December 2024, when around 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel ended up in the Kerch Strait. Shocking, yet not surprising: STS transfers in dangerous conditions, a complete disregard for maritime security standards, and jeopardising seafarers’ safety are common practices aboard the shadow vessels.

Regionally, Russia’s shadow fleet actively disrupts critical infrastructure and ecological security of other countries in the Baltic Sea. Both the Russian and shadow vessels map the positions of pipelines, cables, and various port facilities. Such activities can hardly be deemed peaceful or ordinary. In this regard, we welcome the IMO resolution of December 2023 ‘urging Member States and all relevant stakeholders to promote actions to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by the "dark fleet" or "shadow fleet".’ As the current presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Poland favours the coordinated approach towards protecting our critical infrastructure and combating the shadow fleet. To bolster regional resilience, we are also increasing cooperation with private owners of CUI.

Mister President,

Threats must be tackled and security and safety of the sea guaranteed. Having international law as our guiding principle, we should take full advantage of the options UNCLOS grants us. We have every right to escort vessels in our Exclusive Economic Zones, restrict STS transfers, or take action against stateless or falsely flagged vessels, especially when they pose an environmental risk. The onus is on us to protect the sea and those who work at it. Thus, Poland encourages states that grant flag registration to vessels of the shadow fleet to reconsider such practices.

Mister President,

As it is rightfully stated in the concept note of this debate ‘well-being, training, and safety of seafarers are indispensable to maritime peace, security, and global prosperity’. To maintain prosperity, we must implement concrete solutions such as insurance verification or vessels registers. Coordinating our efforts and sharing information across various fora, including the UN, remains a top priority.

Thank you, Mister President.