A vessel believed to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet is reported to have broken down in the Baltic Sea after suffering an engine malfunction.
The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 means that the Baltic Sea is surrounded by members of the military alliance, prompting some observers to label it a “NATO lake.”
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet operates in the Baltic Sea and consists of old vessels that often operate under opaque ownership and lack adequate insurance, frequently changing their flag registrations. Experts say the vessels are being used by Russia to circumvent curbs on its oil exports.
Russia has so far declined to comment on the shadow fleet.
What To Know
The 183-meter (600-foot) Panama-flagged oil tanker Jazzhas broken down several times in the last two weeks, and is now anchored in Danish waters, OSINT account Auonsson on the social media platform Bluesky, reported on Monday, citing data from MarineTraffic.
The development was also reported by Andriy Klymenko, head of the monitoring group Black Sea Institute for Strategic Studies, on Sunday. He said the tanker was “drifting for a couple of hours.”
German newspaper Kieler Nachrichten reported on January 11 that the tanker broke down north of Rügen—a German island in the Baltic Sea—at about 3 a.m. local time because of engine problems and began to drift.
The tanker is headed to Tunisia, according to MarineTraffic. News journal Lloyd’s List reported in December that the tanker is part of a fleet circumventing sanctions on Russian trading.
The tanker also suffered engine failure on December 30 south of Finland’s Hanko port, where it drifted at sea.
This map, based on GPS signals captured by MarineTraffic and Global Fishing Watch, shows the path of Panama-flagged crude oiler tanker Jazz after it left a Russian port on January 6 and before it anchored…
This map, based on GPS signals captured by MarineTraffic and Global Fishing Watch, shows the path of Panama-flagged crude oiler tanker Jazz after it left a Russian port on January 6 and before it anchored in Danish waters on January 13. The Jazz suffered multiple propulsion issues.
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Newsweek/Carto/MarineTraffic/Global Fishing Watch
What People Are Saying
Andriy Klymenko, head of the monitoring groupBlack Sea Institute for Strategic Studies, on Sunday: “Tanker was drifting for a couple of hours. The Emergency Command in Cuxhaven has engaged for help the Baltic emergency rescue tug, which was nearby to tow the derailed tanker Eventin.
“After initial troubleshooting at 3 a.m., the problems reappeared to the north of the island and the tanker is out of order once again.”
What Happens Next
Tensions between NATO member states and Russia will continue amid the war in Ukraine. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden has warned that Putin would strike at NATO member states.