[Estonia claims to have detained a ship from Russia's shadow fleet, with the captain being Chinese]
On April 11, Estonian Prime Minister Kristjan Michal posted on social platform X, stating, "This morning, the Estonian Navy detained a ship that is subject to sanctions and has no flag state. Our relevant department personnel are currently on board, checking its legal status and safety. Estonia takes the suspicious activities in the Baltic Sea very seriously."
Estonian news portal ERR reported that the detained ship was the oil tanker "Kiwara". According to information from Ukrainian national website "WarSanctions", this is a ship belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, with IMO number 9332810. This ship exported sanctioned Russian crude oil and petroleum products to third countries. Due to its involvement in transporting sanctioned Russian oil and/or petroleum products from Russia to third countries, the ship has been sanctioned by the EU, UK, Canada, and Switzerland. The ship most recently sailed under the flag of Djibouti, entering ports in Russia, India, and Oman.
ERR's report also mentioned that the shipowner and management company is Tirad Shipping Inc (Malta), which only owns this one ship. This company is the latest shipowner and commercial manager of this so-called shadow fleet oil tanker, which was involved in transporting Russian oil (petroleum products). Previously, the manager of this oil tanker was Unic Tanker Ship Management from Turkey, which managed oil tankers and chemical tankers obtained from Gatik Ship Management, one of the main operators of the shadow fleet. Direct management of this oil tanker was also handled by Gatik Ship Management.
ERR reported that the ship was detained in Finland Bay within Estonia's territorial waters. Commander of the Estonian Navy, Ivo Valk, stated, "The purpose of detaining this ship is to check its documents and legal status. The detention and ongoing investigation are unrelated to damage to critical infrastructure, and the relevant investigation will be conducted by the competent authorities on board." According to data from vessel tracking website "Marine Traffic", the oil tanker is currently moored in the Gulf of Muuga (east of Egna Island), with two warships nearby.
Previously, due to illegal activities, this ship had been sanctioned by the EU as well as multiple countries including the UK, Canada, and Switzerland. The ship departed from Westport Port in India and was destined for Ust-Luga Port in Russia, so there may be no cargo on board. During the detention period, the transportation management department is inspecting the ship's technical condition, insurance status, and crew credentials. There are 24 people on board. According to Estonian authorities, the ship's captain is a Chinese citizen and is currently cooperating with the investigation. Other crew members may be Myanmar citizens.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1829252206139659/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.