The Estonian Defense Forces have reportedly detained an oil tanker that belongs to Russia’s “shadow fleet” of aging ships that Russia uses to circumvent the G7-imposed oil export price cap.
According to the newspaper Postimees, a tanker called the Kiwala was detained near the island of Aegna in Estonia’s Muuga Bay. The paper noted that this is the first time Estonia has intercepted a vessel linked to the “shadow fleet.”
Estonian Navy Commander Ivo Värk told Postimees that the ship was detained so that authorities could inspect its documents and clarify its legal status. The tanker, which was transporting crude oil, was traveling through Estonian territorial waters while en route to the Russian port of Ust-Luga.
Veiko Kommusaar, the head of Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board, said the vessel is subject to international sanctions. During the inspection, it was found to be sailing without a national flag.
There were reportedly 24 people on board the ship. The captain is a Chinese national, and the rest of the crew are believed to be from Mauritania. After the vessel was detained, it presented a flag certificate from Djibouti, but a Djibouti official said that the ship is not listed in the country’s registry.
“It’s no secret that over the past year, a number of ships have been operating in the Gulf of Finland without proper documentation,” Kommusaar said. “It’s fair to say we’re dealing with part of the shadow fleet.”
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