The chief executive of the sanctioned Russian shipping company Sovcomflot has said that sanctions on shipping companies undermine safety at sea, and are dangerous for trade because they impact ship standards.

According to measures published by the EU Official Journal on Monday, the European Union has imposed sanctions against Russia's top state-owned tanker company Sovcomflot and its CEO Igor Tonkovidov.

In early 2014, the U.S. Treasury’s enforcement arm OFAC designated separately 14 crude oil tanks as properties in which Sovcomflot had an interest.

Tonkovidov stated in a statement sent on Tuesday that "Sovcomflot regrets the fact that a high-quality, safe maritime transport is sacrificed to short-term geopolitical motives. This certainly does not improve the safety of maritime transport, especially in European waterways."

"SCF strongly object (to) the division of the world's trading fleet into antagonistic groups, destruction of safety and values gained by the maritime industry in the last decades."

Tonkovidov stated that the group will "definitely continue to adhere to highest standards."

Tradewinds, a shipping magazine, was the first to report his comments.

Tonkovidov, a Tonkovidov, told reporters in April that the sanctions had affected his company's operation, "limiting both our geographical and commercial prospects".

SCF, one of the leading tanker operators in the world, transported 75,000,000 metric tons (tonnage) of oil to China, India, and the Mediterranean markets between 2023-2025.

Western sanctions against Russia have led to the departure of international service providers such as ship engines makers and safety certifiers. This has added challenges for Russia's fleet.

Officials from the global shipping industry have warned about the dangers of hundreds of unregulated and ageing tankers that are part of the shadow fleet, which transports oil from countries such as Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. These countries are all under sanctions or other restrictions. Reporting by Jonathan Saul, London, and Gleb Stolyarov, Russia. Editing by Matthew Lewis.