Estonian Navy Detains Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker with Chinese Captain

Estonia has detained the oil tanker Kiwala. The vessel is currently east of Aegna Island, with two warships nearby.

The investigation is not related to suspicions of a threat to critical infrastructure, the commander of the Estonian Navy, Commodore Ivo Värk, reported ERR.

Estonia began preparing for the operation on the evening of April 10, and the operation itself began at 3 a.m. At 4:19 a.m., the tanker Kiwala entered Estonian waters. According to MarineTraffic, the vessel is currently east of Aegna Island, with two warships nearby.

The vessel was under sanctions due to previous activities in the EU and was heading to Ust-Luga. The tanker did not have a flag, and such vessels are not allowed to travel.

During the detention, the technical condition of the vessel and the crew’s documents are checked. A helicopter was involved in the operation.

There are 24 people on board the tanker. According to Estonian authorities, the captain of the vessel is a Chinese citizen who is cooperating with the investigation.

According to the Ukrainian portal WarSanctions, this is a vessel from the Russian “shadow fleet”, which is engaged in the export of Russian crude oil and petroleum products to third countries. According to the portal, the owners and managers of the vessel have changed regularly in order to avoid direct ties with Russia and hide the real beneficiaries.

Recently, the vessel has been sailing under the flag of Djibouti.

Earlier, USM reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced new sanctions against tankers of the Russian “shadow fleet”.