The Russian shadowy fleet tanker Eventin is anchored in Zasnica after Germany took control of the ship. Photo: Stefan Sauger / AFP
The emergency tanker Eventin, loaded with 99,000 tonnes of oil, was brought to the port of Zasnitz after losing manoeuvrability in the Baltic Sea near the German island of Rügen. According to dpa and DW, the vessel was about 5 kilometres from the shore and was being held by two tugs.
According to a representative of the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME), the tanker is in a stable condition, is sealed and does not pose a threat to the environment. The vessel will remain in the port of Sassnitz until a decision is made on further action.
The Panamanian-flagged Eventin, built in 2006, was sailing from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to Egypt’s Port Said. On Friday, the tanker suffered an engine failure and drifted in the high seas until it was rescued. The cause of the malfunction is currently unknown.
Environmentalists from Greenpeace have said that Eventin is part of the so-called shadow fleet used to circumvent international sanctions imposed on the Russian oil industry. These sanctions, in particular from the EU, the US and the UK, were imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine in 2022.
Experts also note that ships from the shadow fleet are usually outdated and in poor technical condition. German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock accused Russia of undermining European security through the “irresponsible use of rusty tankers”.
The Baltic Sea, one of the world’s busiest seas, is crossed by more than 2,000 ships every day, according to the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research.
