(Bloomberg) -- The Greek Navy resumed drills in an expanse of water just off the country’s coast, effectively blocking Russia’s ability to use the area for the transfer of petroleum between tankers.

A notice on the website Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service shows that exercises in the Laconian Gulf, about 110 miles southwest of Athens, will continue until July 15. The navy’s prior exercises ended on Monday, after which a handful of tankers re-entered the areas that had been restricted. Most, however, stayed out.

 

Greece began carrying out the exercises in the gulf in an effort to thwart an activity that helps Russia get its oil to the world. The first actions were introduced at the start of May and then extended.

However, Russia has found at least one new location — near a Spanish enclave in North Africa — for the cargo switching. The cargoes are transported from Russian ports and then switched onto waiting vessels that deliver the cargoes to Asia. Some of the ships don’t have insurance details on a website maintained for the International Maritime Organization.

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