Latest news with #GulfOfFinland
RNZ News
27-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Cook Islands questions removal from global shipping database
Oil tanker Eagle S is anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, 30 December, 2024. The Cook Islands-registered ship is suspected of the disruption of the Finland-Estonia electrical link. Photo: JUSSI NUKARI / AFP The Cook Islands is seeking clarification on why it was removed from an international shipping database aimed at combating illicit shipping activities. Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) staff were told in May that it was removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) due to a "potential violation of the Terms and Conditions that was agreed upon at the time of registration". "MCI reached out to the founding members of RISC on 8 May 2025 and again on 13 May and again on 21 May. MCI has not had a response from any of them," a statement from MCI said. "MCI is at a loss to understand what possible violation has been committed." The Cook Islands ejection from the information-sharing database was first reported by shipping media Lloyd's List on 20 May. However, the Cook Islans maintains that it does not allow any sanctioned vessels to remain on its register, and has not registered vessels that had been flagged by a RISC member. "There were no 'terms and conditions' discussed or agreed to at the time that MCI joined RISC." RISC was formed in 2019 by the world's three largest ship registries: Liberia, the Marshal Islands and Panama. The membership now includes Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras, Vanuatu, Dominica, Belize, Moldova and Antigua and Barbuda. The database allows registries to share details about vessels and avoid clamp down on "flag hopping" - where a vessel jumps from one registry to another to avoid international sanctions. MCI's statement said the Cook Islands registry was among the first to join after the founding members in May 2020. "MCI supports the aims and objectives of RISC," the statement said. It said that in March, during the Cook Islands International Maritime Organisation Legal Committee, the country "highlighted the RISC compact as an industry best practice". The Cook Islands-registered ship, Eagle S, was seized on Christmas Day 2024 in the Baltic Sea by Finnish authorities. Photo: AFP / Jussi Nukari The Cook Islands-registered ship, Eagle S , was seized on Christmas Day 2024 in the Baltic Sea by Finnish authorities, who believed the vessel severed the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia. Eagle S is also thought to be linked to Russia's shadow fleet, which seeks to evade sanctions on the sale of Russian oil. Last month, both the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Cook Islands said that the ship has never been under sanctions.
Bloomberg
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Finland Summons Russia's Ambassador After Violation of Airspace
Finland summoned the Russian ambassador to provide an explanation for a recent suspected violation of airspace. The Foreign Ministry announced the summons in a post on X on Monday. Two Russian military aircraft were suspected to have flown without permission in Finnish airspace on the Gulf of Finland on Friday, the government said separately, without providing details. The Border Guard is investigating the incident.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS NATO and Russia clash in Baltic Sea 'dog fight' as Polish jet tails SU-35 warplane and Estonian forces 'try to board 800ft Moscow oil tanker sanctioned by Britain'
Both NATO and Russia scrambled warplanes in a dramatic 'dogfight' above the Baltic after a major standoff over a tanker in Vladimir Putin 's shadow fleet. Estonian forces sought to board the 'Gabon-flagged' oil tanker Jaguar using a patrol vessel and helicopter, as well as a surveillance vessel. The Russian-bound ship is suspected of being used by Moscow as part of its shadow fleet to avoid international sanctions. It was sanctioned by Britain on Friday. NATO aircraft - including Polish MiG-29s were scrambled as the vessel refused to cooperate. Russia also deployed a Su-35S fighter jet which allegedly violated Estonian airspace as it sought to provide cover for the fleeing Jaguar. In dramatic footage, the Polish - NATO - plane was seen tailing the Russian Su-35 in a combat over the Gulf of Finland, which is part of the Baltic Sea. A Russian voice on the bridge of the tanker accused the Estonians of being 'clowns' as they tried and failed to board the vessel. The tanker ultimately anchored near Gotland Island - controlled by Russia - in the eastern Baltic Sea. Footage shows the high drama in one of the most tense regions in the world amid disputes between Russia and NATO over Ukraine. 'This is how we're greeted with helicopters,' said a voice -apparently Russian - on the tanker. 'They're demanding we anchor.' A message is heard saying: 'This is Estonian warship Papa 6732. 'Your request will be denied. 'Follow my instructions. Immediately change course to 105. Over.' A voice from the tanker in Hindi says: 'That looks like our drone in front….' A Russian voice demands: 'Go on, hit it running….' Referring to the Estonians, he says: 'What a bunch of clowns!' The Estonian vessel comes close to the tanker seeking to swerve it to the right. An Estonian A139 helicopter and an M-28 Skytruck plane of the Estonian defence forces were seen circling the vessel. Boasting a success against the West, pro-Kremlin news outlet Izvestia reported: 'Despite this show of force, the Estonian authorities were unable to stop the vessel. 'The Jaguar ultimately reached Gogland Island …. a Russian-controlled territory in the Gulf [of Finland], and resumed its route to Primorsk'. Russian outlet News-Pravda reported, 'Sailors from the Baltic Republic [Estonia] twice tried to land troops from a helicopter.' After the extraordinary clash, NATO state Estonia summoned the Russian Chargé d'Affaires in Tallinn, Lenar Salimullin, who was handed a note of protest, accusing the Putin warplane of violating the republic's airspace. 'From Estonia's point of view, this is a very serious and regrettable incident that is in no way unacceptable,' said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. He demanded that Russia 'must face tougher, faster sanctions' . The tanker had been near Naissaar Island, off Tallinn, when the Estonian Navy communicated with it by radio at 1530 GMT on Tuesday, said Commander Ivo Vark. It was sailing 'without a nationality' and Estonia 'had an obligation to verify the vessel's documents and legal status', said the Estonian. 'The vessel denied cooperation and continued its journey toward Russia... given the vessel's lack of nationality, the use of force, including boarding the vessel, was deemed unnecessary.' Estonia escorted it until the vessel reached Russian waters. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the ship was sent from Estonian to Russian territorial waters to prevent a threat to his country's critical infrastructure. 'The issue was the ship's flag state, and our most important goal was to ensure the security of critical infrastructure. This was achieved,' he claimed. The 800-ft long Jaguar is a crude oil tanker reportedly sailing under the flag of Gabon. The Equasis database suggested the ship changed its name and flag state at the beginning of February. According to this data its name is now Argent and its flag state is Guinea-Bissau. Putin uses a vast network of non-Russian tankers - called a shadow fleet - to avoid oil sanctions.
South China Morning Post
08-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Ship captain remanded in custody in Hong Kong over damaging Baltic Sea pipeline
The captain of a Hong Kong-flagged container ship has been remanded in custody on suspicion of severing a critical Baltic Sea gas pipeline running between Estonia and Finland two years ago. Advertisement Wan Wenguo, 43, appeared at Eastern Court on Thursday to face a count of criminal damage and two charges for alleged violations of local marine by-laws during the NewNew Polar Bear's voyage from October to December of 2023. Prosecutors held the defendant, who is from mainland China, liable for the damages caused to the 77km (47.8-mile) Balticconnector, a natural gas pipeline that is a key source of energy for Finland, as well as a nearby telecoms cable, when the freight vessel sailed through the Gulf of Finland on October 8 of that year. They also accused Wan of breaching navigation safety protocols by failing to ensure the ship had enough anchors and of not making daily reports to the vessel's owner, breaching two regulations under the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance. The court scheduled the next hearing for early July to allow time for further investigations. Advertisement Wan was remanded in custody after confirming he had no bail applications to make.
