Russian tanker “Jazz” breaks down for the second time in two weeks
13.01.2025 - 10:53
The second accident involving a Russian vessel occurred in the same place: in the Baltic Sea north of the German island of Rügen.
On the night of January 11, the Russian tanker “Jazz” again broke down during a voyage from the port of Vysotsk to Tunisia. This was reported by Andriy Klymenko, head of the Monitoring Group of the Institute for Black Sea Strategic Studies.
The vessel suffered a serious engine failure north of the German island of Rügen. The vessel drifted for several hours until the nearby rescue tug Baltic arrived to help.
After temporary repairs, the tanker tried to continue the voyage, but the engine failed again. At 7 a.m., the vessel set off with limited operation.
“This is no longer a coincidence, it is a manifestation of systemic problems, or a sign of karma,” Andriy Klymenko commented.
The last time the “Jazz” tanker broke down was in late 2024 south of the Finnish port of Hanko. Then the ship, which was sailing in ballast to the port of Vysotsk, had an engine failure and drifted for a long time in the open sea.
To stabilize the situation, the Finnish Coast Guard brought in a tugboat and patrol vessel Turva. There was a risk that the ship’s anchor would not hold if the winds became too strong.
Maritime industry analysts point out that the increasingly frequent incidents with Russian tankers indicate systemic problems in the Russian Federation, which are worsening against the backdrop of the economic crisis and sanctions. The technical reliability of the vessels used by the Kremlin to export oil is becoming increasingly questionable. This could be a serious blow to Moscow in conditions of international isolation.
Reference: “Jazz” is a Panamanian-flagged chemical tanker built in 2006. The deadweight of the vessel is 50,548 tons. The tanker is owned by T Rex Maritime & Trading Inc and its commercial and technical manager is Sand Gemi Isletmeciligi As, based in Istanbul, Turkey.
USM recently reported that over 80% of sanctioned vessels do not have verified insurance.
