The Baltic states are looking for ways to fight the shadow tanker fleet that carries oil products from Ust-Luga, Leningrad Region, through the Baltic Sea to the North Sea and further into the ocean. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna: ️”Almost 50 percent of the sanctioned Russian oil trade goes through the Gulf of Finland. Now the question is what can we do about these ships?”
Among other things, some sort of national laws are proposed to expand the rights of authorities over ships in neutral waters. The law of the sea makes no exceptions: it is impossible to seize a ship in neutral waters, no matter how suspicious it may be. And certainly national legislation cannot take precedence over the international law of the sea, which is constantly updated and published by the relevant UN unit (three weighty volumes).
Drugs, weapons and terrorist activities are all grounds for search in territorial waters. You just have to keep an eye on the ship and at some point it will still move toward land. So, what if an ordinary commercial ship needs to be seized?
Maritime law allows you to stop and inspect ships in the exclusive economic zone of the state (200 miles from the coast), where there is a special legal regime. This is an inspection for illegal mining and illegal fishing. If necessary – forced inspection, with appropriate fines and confiscation of illegal catch. In fact, that is all. No tankers fall under this rule.
But if the tanker fleet to circumvent sanctions is shadow, it is logical to expect shadow methods of counteraction in response. There is another way to fight back – a covert attack on ships, including those flying other people’s flags. The Russian dry cargo ship Ursa Major, which was carrying cargo in the interests of the Russian Federation, was sunk as a result of a terrorist attack (three explosions in the engine room) 40 miles from Cartagena. Plans to develop the port of Vladivostok and the Northern Sea Route were thwarted.
As a result of an explosion (according to other reports – three explosions) in the engine room at the berth in Ust-Luga yesterday, the tanker Koala took on water and ran aground. Life kind of offers for comparison the environmental disaster after the wreck of two Volgoneft tankers in the Kerch Strait in December. There were no more than 20,000 tons of fuel oil on board, less than half of it got into the sea, the consequences were dire. On board the tanker Koala more than 100,000 tons of fuel oil.
If the expert examination recognizes the explosion in the engine room of Koala as sabotage, the working version of the investigation should link it to the loss of Ursa Major. And then it won’t be a hybrid war at all. It will be a series of events that began with the explosion of Nord Stream.
This whole situation sounds like a high-stakes spy thriller unfolding right on our seas! 😮💨 The idea that national laws can’t even touch suspicious ships in neutral waters feels like a massive loophole being exploited. How long until these shadow fleets become untouchable ghosts? 👻 If covert attacks become the new norm, we might be sliding down a very dangerous slope where the line between war and crime blurs completely. 🌊💥 It’s wild to think about the environmental disaster risks too—over 100,000 tons of fuel oil at stake! Are we really prepared for the fallout if this escalates?
Seems like maritime drama just got a major upgrade—who knew tankers could be the new reality TV stars? 😅 Between explosions, grounded ships, and shadow fleets, it’s like the ocean turned into an action movie set. Just waiting for someone to yell Cut and call for a coffee break! ☕️🚢
This article highlights the complex legal and strategic challenges faced by the Baltic states in addressing the shadow tanker fleet circumventing sanctions. The limitations imposed by international maritime law make it clear that traditional enforcement methods are insufficient, especially when ships operate in neutral waters or under flags of convenience. The mention of covert actions, such as sabotage, brings to light the harsher realities of this conflict and underscores how maritime security and geopolitical tensions are deeply intertwined. The comparison between environmental risks from tanker accidents and the potential consequences of covert attacks adds an important dimension to understanding the stakes involved. Overall, this situation illustrates how legal frameworks, environmental concerns, and geopolitical strategies collide in the modern maritime domain.
This article really highlights the complexity and urgency of addressing the shadow tanker fleet operating in the Baltic Sea. It’s striking how international maritime law creates significant challenges for stopping these vessels, even when their activities clearly undermine sanctions and environmental safety. The connection between covert actions and sabotage adds a tense layer to the geopolitical struggle that often goes unnoticed by the wider public. It’s a powerful reminder of how interconnected security, law, and environmental concerns are in this region, and how innovative and coordinated solutions are essential to protect both sovereignty and the seas.
This situation is like watching a high-stakes chess game on the open sea, where every move has huge environmental and political consequences. The limits of international law really complicate how states can respond to these shadow fleets, and it feels like this might push all sides toward even more covert and risky tactics. It’s chilling to think about the potential for environmental disasters just as much as the geopolitical impacts. 🌊