Russia Detains Cargo Ship Bound for Estonia’s Sillamäe Port
A cargo ship, Västerbotten, sailing under the Cypriot flag, was detained by Russian border guards in the Gulf of Finland while en route to the port of Sillamäe. The detention occurred despite ships having the right to transit through Russian territorial waters.
According to the Police and Border Guard Board, the ship was anchored in Russian waters on Thursday before being held for hours. Vesselfinder, a ship-tracking application, shows that the vessel passed through Russian territorial waters before being detained. This incident is not unprecedented, as Russia detained an oil tanker, Green Admire, departing from Sillamäe in 2025.
Estonia’s Response to Detention
To avoid similar situations, the Estonian Transport Administration decided to direct ships to and from Sillamäe through Estonia‘s territorial sea. This move aims to ensure peaceful passage through a state’s territorial sea, which is permitted for all ships. However, this does not mean that states do not have the right to inspect ships.
Are Piel, head of the Transport Administration’s vessel traffic management department, emphasized that every country has the right to exercise control over ships in its territorial sea. He noted that Russia‘s territorial sea is not passed through just in case, precisely to avoid such inspection raids.
No Explanation from Russian Side
The Estonian Transport Administration has no explanation from the Russian side as to why the ship was detained. The incident highlights the importance of cooperation and communication between countries regarding maritime traffic and territorial waters.
As of October 2, the Västerbotten was located in the Sillamäe port. Despite this incident, Piel noted that it is not an unusual situation and that Russia‘s restriction on passing through the area has been lifted.
Original Article: Cargo ship bound for Estonia’s Sillamäe port held for hours by Russia — Err