In a detained shadow tanker – almost half a hundred different flaws

Estonians had suspicions

Commander of the Estonian Navy Commander Ivo Vark explained that the ship was suspended to verify his documents and legal status.

« There were suspicions that the ship had no state flag and a valid insurance during a normal inspection. The ship also applies to the European Union (EU), United Kingdom, Canada and Swiss, » said Mr Varkas.

A spokesman for the Police and Border Guard Board acted in a Kommussaar that the arrest of the tanker confirmed that he did not have a valid state flag and was therefore forbidden to swim.

« Estonia has exercised its right to detain the ship, » Kommussaar said, adding that the operation of the police and border guards’ Board Board was involved in the operation.

There are 24 third -party citizens on board.

Captain is a Chinese citizen, and other crew members are believed to be Mauritanian citizens.

Although the ship submitted a certificate from the Djibouti flag, Djibiutis confirmed that the ship was not registered there and that the ship owner is currently unknown.

The transport administration checks the technical condition of the ship, including its construction, documents and suitability.

If the ship is recognized for unsafe shipping, it will remain detained until the defects are remedied.

Detention: In the Gulf of Finland, the Estonian naval forces detained the oil tanker Kiwala last Friday, the hair to the Ust Luga port in Russia. / Photo by Scanpix

“For the sake of our security”

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said the detention of this tanker proves that the coordinated actions of the Baltic and Northern Sea countries against the Russian shadow fleet produce results and help protect the environment and ensure maritime safety.

Mr Tsahkna said it was the first Estonian -arrested shadow fleet ship and praised the Estonian defense forces.

« We operate in a coordinated and purposeful name of our security and environmental protection and exercise our right to check the Estonian exclusive economic zone ships as soon as suspicions, » he added.

After the Estonian officers inspected the detained hair tanker Kiwala, 40 deficiencies were found, so the ship is prohibited from swimming until the defects were remedied.

« The inspectors of the Transport Department have checked the ship all day and found a number of significant flaws, so we cannot allow the ship to continue our voyage because maritime and environmental safety is not guaranteed, » said Kristian Truu, the Marine Services Director of the Transport Department.

Of the 40 disadvantages, 29 were significant and the ship was detained.

Most of them – 23 – are related to documents, while others are implementing the safety management system, crew training for various incidents on board and technical deficiencies.

« One of the main problems, of course, is the suspicion that the ship has no flag, which means that it is not subject to the law of any country. Estonia has exercised its rights and international obligations to verify the ship without a flag, » explained Trum.

Stronger measures are at risk

The ship is anchoring in the Gulf of Mok and is observed by the Navy.

Once the defects are eliminated, the Transport Department will carry out a re -inspection and may allow the ship to continue its journey.

On April 10, the Kiwala oil tanker entered the Finnish Bay without a valid flag state certificate.

The ship presented Djibouti as its flag state, but it turns out that the state took the flag from it for illegal activities.

Estonia took advantage of its rights and international obligations to verify the ship without a flag.

In addition, the tanker was not insured and has been declared sanctions by the EU, the United Kingdom, Canada and Swiss for illegal activities.

When the ship entered the Estonian economic waters, the crew was contacted and the tanker was directed to check the Estonian territorial waters.

Estonia exercised the right to break into the ship and check the documents.

The Estonian authorities said the oil tanker is believed to be able to extend the journey to Russia’s shadow fleet only when various legal and security issues are resolved.

According to Estonian officials, the tanker sailed to the Russian port of Ust Luga.

Security analysts say Russia has a « shadow fleet » consisting of hundreds of ships and is used to avoid sanctions on oil exports.

The so -called Russian shadow fleet, which Russia supplies oil to bypass Western sanctions, threatens stricter measures.

The US is preparing to strike

Russia’s shadow fleet is also a blow to the United States.

According to Reuters, US senators have submitted a bill in Congress proposing to confiscate oil from Russian tankers on the list of sanctions of the US Treasury Department.

If the draft law is approved, the seized oil will be sold and the funds received will be used to repay the US public debt.

In order to improve the control of restrictions, it is proposed to create a special fund under the Ministry of Finance with a budget of $ 150 million. dollars.

The document also expands the sharing of intelligence information and law enforcement authorities provide additional measures to combat oil networks.

This was confirmed by one of the authors of the bill, Jonis Ernst from the Republican Party.

According to the Senator, this bill will not only help Moscow’s attempts to circumvent US sanctions, but will also provide the US access to confiscated property.

The US sanctions list includes two hundred ships carrying Russian oil.

The most tangible blow to Russia’s shadow fleet was made in January, when the former White House owner Joe Biden’s administration imposed sanctions on 180 tankers.