Russia has released a Greek-owned oil tanker that was detained on Sunday in its territorial waters after departing from a port in Estonia, according to reports from the Estonian public broadcaster ERR.
The Liberian-flagged vessel, named Green Admire, is currently navigating through the Baltic Sea and is en route to the Dutch port of Rotterdam, as confirmed by both ERR and the LSEG ship tracking data service.
Details of the Detention
The tanker was apprehended by Russian authorities shortly after it left the Estonian port of Sillamäe, utilizing a designated navigation route that passes through Russian waters, as stated by Estonia’s foreign ministry. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna suggested that this incident was likely a retaliatory measure by Russia, linked to Estonia’s navy operations against what is referred to as Russia’s “shadow fleet.” This operation has involved inspecting tankers suspected of transporting significant quantities of Russian oil across the Baltic Sea.
“(The) incident shows that Russia continues to behave unpredictably,” Tsahkna remarked, addressing the recent detention of the Green Admire. He also indicated that he had informed NATO allies about the situation.
Future Precautions
In response to this event, Estonia’s foreign ministry announced plans to reroute marine traffic to and from Sillamäe, ensuring that it is conducted solely through Estonian territorial waters to mitigate the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future.
Furthermore, Tsahkna noted that a Russian fighter jet had breached NATO airspace the previous week, coinciding with the Estonian navy’s interception of a suspected shadow fleet vessel in its waters. This shadow fleet reportedly consists of aging tankers acquired by obscure entities, often registered in countries that do not impose sanctions, such as the United Arab Emirates and the Marshall Islands, and flagged in locations like Gabon or the Cook Islands.
The European Union has actively targeted these vessels, some of which are also implicated in transporting stolen Ukrainian grain, by imposing sanctions. In February alone, 70 additional vessels were added to the existing list of over 50 ships already under sanctions. EU foreign ministers are anticipated to impose sanctions on even more vessels in the near future.