The 248 m long tanker Eventin, registered in Panama was found drifting in the Baltic Sea, north of the Rugen Island, off the German coast, per media reports.
The 18-year-old tanker is claimed to be a part of the Russian shadow fleet, which consists of hundreds of ageing tankers, that Moscow is using to evade Western sanctions and transport its energy supplies across the globe.
The sanctions were put in place as a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine so that the benefits from the oil exports cannot be utilised to keep its war machinery running.
The Eventin was loaded with approximately 100,000 tonnes of oil at the Russian port of Ust-Luga on January 6, 2025, and was destined for Egypt’s Port Said.
A tugboat from Bremen was sent to the tanker’s rescue, towing it to safer waters off the Rugen Island.
German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said the incident represents a danger to maritime security and tourism in the Baltic Sea.
Baerbock added that Russia is not only threatening the security of Europe with aggression towards Ukraine but also with disinformation and sabotage using its dilapidated oil tankers, which pose a serious threat to the marine environment.
References: Business Standard, Euro News