Estonia has apprehended a tanker associated with Russia, marking the first maritime operation by the Baltic nation aimed at the so-called “shadow fleet,” which is engaged in transporting Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions, according to the Postimees news outlet.
The ship was intercepted on Friday morning near Aegna Island in Muuga Bay while navigating through Estonian territorial waters on its way to the Russian port of Ust-Luga.
Estonian authorities halted the tanker to inspect its documentation and legal standing, as stated by Ivo Värk, the commander of the Estonian Navy, during a press briefing.
The tanker, known as the Kiwala, was reportedly sailing under the Djibouti flag, based on information from the vessel-tracking service MarineTraffic. However, at the time of its detention, it was not displaying a national flag, constituting a breach of maritime regulations. Although the crew later provided a flag certificate, an official from Djibouti’s maritime authority denied that the vessel is registered under their flag.
Currently, the Estonian transportation officials are examining the vessel’s structure and assessing its paperwork to determine that it does not pose a risk to maritime safety, as reported by Postimees. The Kiwala is now being monitored by three Estonian naval ships.
Veiko Kommusaar, the deputy chief of Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board, confirmed that the tanker is under EU sanctions. It has also been sanctioned by the United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland, according to the Ukrainian sanctions-monitoring platform War & Sanctions.
There were 24 individuals from third countries aboard, with the vessel’s captain being a Chinese national who has been cooperating with Estonian authorities, as noted by Postimees. The remaining crew members were preliminarily identified as citizens of Mauritania.
War & Sanctions mentioned that the Kiwala was previously under the command of an individual named Sergei Kharchenko.
The tanker is owned by Tirad Shipping, a Mauritius-registered firm that operates only the Kiwala. Prior to this, the tanker was owned by shipping companies from Turkey and India.
This detention occurred just two days after the Estonian parliament enacted legislation empowering the Defense Forces to use force against vessels in the Baltic Sea if they are deemed a threat to national security. This law was introduced in reaction to an increase in suspected sabotage incidents, including damage to underwater cables and critical infrastructure, which Estonian officials believe is instigated by Russian intelligence agencies.
