Latest news with #Porvoo
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.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Finland summons Russian ambassador over alleged air breach
Finland summoned Russia's ambassador on Monday after two Russian military aircraft allegedly violated Finnish airspace near the southern coast last week. The incident has ramped up rising tensions as Helsinki deepens its NATO integration and bolsters defenses against potential threats along its shared border with Russia. The suspected breach was off the coast of Porvoo, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Helsinki, and is under investigation by Finnish authorities. The country's defense ministry first reported the incident on Friday. "The foreign ministry of Finland has today summoned the ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace," the ministry said in a post on X. The Foreign Ministry of Finland has today summoned the Ambassador of Russia and requested an explanation regarding the suspected violation of airspace. — MFA Finland 🇫🇮 (@Ulkoministerio) May 26, 2025 Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia. Since joining the alliance, Helsinki has warned of increased security threats and has pledged to boost defense readiness. Moscow has repeatedly criticized Finland's accession to NATO and warned of repercussions. Last week, Finland's Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen told the AFP news agency the country was "closely monitoring and assessing Russia's activities and intentions." That followed satellite images published by the New York Times indicating expanded Russian military infrastructure near the border. Hakkanen said Russia's moves to strengthen its armed forces in the area were "not a surprise to Finland." In April, Finland announced plans to raise defense spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 and restructure its military to respond to evolving threats. The news came as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz traveled to Finland to attend a summit with the prime ministers of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Edited by Wesley Dockery
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Finland says two Russian military aircraft suspected of violating its airspace
HELSINKI, May 23 (Reuters) - Two Russian military aircraft are suspected of having violated Finnish airspace on Friday, Finland's defence ministry said in a statement. The incident occurred off the coast of Porvoo in southern Finland, the ministry added. "We take the suspected territorial violation seriously and an investigation is ongoing," Minister of Defence Antti Hakkanen said in the statement. The Finnish Border Guard is investigating the incident and will provide more detailed information at a later time, he added.
