An Amnesty International report alleges that Myanmar is circumventing Western sanctions by finding alternative sources for jet fuel. The report outlines the lengths to which the country is going to maintain its airpower despite sanctions imposed by the US, UK, Canada, and the EU in spring 2023.
The aim of the sanctions was, among other things, to prevent Myanmar’s air force from mounting airborne attacks on the rebel groups it has been engaged with over the past two years. However, these sanctions have not hindered the country’s ability to procure jet fuel as no bilateral or UN sanctions currently exist restricting exports to Myanmar.
According to the report, intermediaries are helping Myanmar purchase fuel. It noted that seven shipments, comprising a total of 67 kilotonnes of aviation fuel, were sent to the country last year. Each of these shipments allegedly emanated from a small storage terminal called Cai Mep Petroleum near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Tracing fuel deliveries into Vietnam during the same period revealed connections to the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) terminal in Huizhou and to two from the Pengerang Independent Terminals. This Malaysian storage terminal facility is partly owned by Vopak.
Data sourced from Vietnamese customs allowed Amnesty International to identify several fuel traders. These included BB Energy Asia, a Singapore-based firm, which was one of the companies that facilitated the second-to-last purchase of jet fuel transiting through Vietnam. Most of the shipments were allegedly conducted by the Chinese oil tanker HUITONG 78, with one shipment managed by the Liberian-registered oil tanker YIDA 8.
Whether these shipments conflict with international and national laws is uncertain. China, Vietnam, Singapore, and the UAE — none of which embargo jet fuel exports to Myanmar — are home to these traders and therefore, not subject to the laws of the sanctioning states. It is conceivable that Vopak, an EU company, may have contravened EU sanctions, though it remains unclear whether legal responsibility will be assigned given that the Pengerang terminal was not the final loading port.
The allegations triggered further discussion about the efficacy of Western sanctions, which, critics assert, lose their effect as countries devise and implement better strategies to bypass them. This can be seen in the case of Russia’s shadow fleet as it navigates around oil sanctions, leading to it becoming a significant player in the transportation of crude and crude product shipping. You can read further about Russia’s tactics here.
Meanwhile, two of the countries that have so far imposed sanctions on Myanmar – the US and UK – announced further restrictions against the country earlier this week.
For more details, refer to the original report from JURIST – News.