Germany has rescued a Russian oil tanker, Eventin, after the vessel lost power in stormy conditions in the Baltic Sea, carrying 100,000 tonnes of oil. The ship, part of President Putin’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to circumvent Western sanctions, encountered trouble on Friday near the German island of Rügen, where it faced gales and 13-foot waves. In a high-stakes operation, German tugboats towed the 900-foot, Panamanian-flagged tanker to the port of Sassnitz, averting a potential environmental catastrophe.
The Eventin, which had departed from the Russian port of Ust-Luga en route to Port Said in Egypt, lost all power amidst worsening weather conditions. German helicopters intervened on Saturday night to deliver batteries and heaters to the vessel’s 24 crew members. The future of the ship, including where it will be repaired, now lies in the hands of its UAE-based shipping company.
Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s foreign minister, criticized the operation of dilapidated vessels like the Eventin, warning of the risks they pose to international shipping lanes. She accused Russia of using outdated tankers to bypass sanctions while endangering the Baltic Sea with the threat of wrecks. “By ruthlessly deploying a fleet of rusty tankers, Putin is not only circumventing the sanctions but is also willingly accepting the Baltic Sea will come to a standstill,” Baerbock said.
The incident comes amid mounting concerns over the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet, a group of about 600 tankers operating under opaque ownership and flags of convenience from countries like Panama, Liberia, Gabon, and the Cook Islands. Many of these vessels, including the Eventin, are over 20 years old and often uninsured, carrying dangerous cargoes across international waters. Last month, Denmark seized the Eagle S, another shadow fleet tanker, after it caused damage to an undersea electricity cable in the Baltic Sea by dragging its anchor across the seabed.
