Estonia detains Russian shadow fleet tanker for the first time

The Estonian Navy detained an oil tanker belonging to Russia's so-called shadow fleet in the Gulf of Finland on April 11, the Estonian media outlet ERR reported, citing Estonian Navy Commander Cdre Ivo Värk.

The vessel, called Kiwala, was detained off the Estonian coast between the island of Aegna and the port of Muuga, east of Tallinn, while en route to the Russian port of Ust-Luga. Previously, the tanker was sanctioned by the EU, the U.K., Canada, and Switzerland.

The move marks Estonia’s first detention of a shadow fleet vessel. Estonian authorities said the tanker lacks a flag state, meaning it is not authorized to sail in international waters.

"We are acting in a coordinated and targeted manner to protect our security and environment, and we are implementing our right to check suspected ships passing through Estonia's exclusive economic zone," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

There were 24 people on board, according to the navy chief. The vessel's captain is a Chinese citizen, and the rest of the crew are nationals of Myanmar.

Värk said that the purpose of the detention was to "check the ship's documents and legal status," adding that the move is not related to damage to critical infrastructure. The vessel will be detained until technical issues are resolved.

Russia's "shadow fleet" consists of aging tankers used to circumvent sanctions, including those imposed by the EU, U.K., and U.S. Ukraine recently sanctioned captains of these vessels, targeting Russian and Iranian nationals involved in illicit oil exports.

A growing portion of Russia's oil tanker fleet is being forced to reflag as sanctions intensify, disrupting Moscow's oil export logistics and forcing tankers to re-register in less reputable jurisdictions, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 23.