Abandoned Russian tanker to be removed from port in Poland due to threat to shipping safety

The abandoned Russian vessel Khatanga will be removed from the Polish port due to a threat to shipping safety, the Ministry of Infrastructure reported.

On Thursday, February 6, the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure announced the decision to remove the tanker from the port of Gdynia.

According to the decision issued by the director of the Maritime Office in Gdynia, the Gdynia Seaport Directorate is obliged to remove the Russian vessel Khatanga, which has been in the port since 2017.

The ministry’s statement notes that the vessel poses a threat to shipping safety and is being decommissioned.

The port administration must remove the installation immediately, but no later than three months from the date of the decision.

The Russian shipowner will also be required to reimburse the costs for the entire time the vessel was in the port.

As a reminder, the oil tanker Khatanga (deadweight 23,000 tons) was detained in the port of Gdynia in October 2017. During the inspection, structural problems were discovered on the vessel, as well as questions about the training and competence of the crew. The vessel, owned by the Murmansk Shipping Company, was undergoing repairs. However, the Murmansk Shipping Company declared bankruptcy in 2020, and control of the vessel passed to the company’s trustee. The owners periodically inspected the vessel, but seem to have lost interest. According to Polish media, even the main crew is missing from the vessel.