Russian Border Guards Detain Cyprus-Flagged Cargo Ship En Route to Estonian Port of Sillamae in Gulf of Finland
Russian Border Guards have recently detained a cargo vessel named Vasterbotten in the Gulf of Finland while it was heading to Estonia‘s Port of Sillamae. The Border Guard Board of Estonia and the Estonian Police confirmed the same.
The detention is not an isolated incident, as Russia had previously stopped ships on this route. In May last year, the border guards ordered tanker Green Admire to stop. The vessel, operated by Aegean Shipping, a Greek company, was loaded with shale oil for Rotterdam Port and had been following a previously agreed route through the territorial waters of Russia.
Russian President Putin’s Warning and Tit-for-Tat Strategy
In August, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West not to detain Russian cargo ships. It appears that Russia is now following a tit-for-tat strategy by stopping and detaining ships linked to Western countries. Operated by German company Navalis Shipping, Vasterbotton was sailing from Monsteras Port in Sweden when it was ordered to stop.
Before being detained, the vessel had entered Russia‘s territorial waters, where it remained at anchor for inspections and checks that lasted many hours, after which it resumed its journey at 5:00 pm in the evening.
Estonian Officials’ Response and Rerouting of Ships
Estonian officials belonging to the Estonian Transport Administration described the act as unpleasant but not unusual. In response, Estonia‘s Transport Administration has rerouted ships to and from Estonia’s Sillamae through its own waters to avoid similar incidents with Russia.
Earlier, Moscow had restricted ship passage through this part of the Gulf of Finland; however, the restrictions were later removed. Estonia, Russia, and Finland share an agreement that allows ships from these three countries to use the Gulf of Finland and areas that fall under their respective territorial waters.
Route Safety Concerns
The route through Russian waters is considered safer than the Estonian waters due to the presence of shoals, especially for large cargo vessels.
Original Article: Russia Detains Cyprus-Flagged Cargo Ship En Route To Estonian Port Of Sillamae In Gulf Of Finland — Marineinsight