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Shadow fleet tanker released after getting temporary registration, and headed to Russia

The sanctioned 'Kiwala', which was detained in Estonia for operating without a valid flag state registration, being suspected to be part of the Russan “shadow fleet” used to circumvent international sanctions, was released, after Djibouti agreed to register the vessel temporarily. The ship weighed anchor on April 26 and headed to the Russian port Ust-Luga, where it arrived on April 29.

40 defiencies found during inspection of unregistered shadow tanker

The authorities in Estonia have, during an inspection of the 'Kiwala', which was intercepted in the Baltic Sea by units from the Estonian Navy, found 40 shortcomings and deficiencies. Inspectors from the Transport Administration conducted a full-day inspection and identified several significant deficiencies. Of on the whole 40 deficiencies being found, 29 were deemed significant and formed the basis for detaining the vessel. 23 of those were documentation-related, while others concerned failures in the ship’s safety management system, crew emergency preparedness, and technical malfunctions. Estonian authorities stated that the vessel lacks a valid flag state and insurance. The ship could not to continue sailing, as it could endanger safety at sea and the marine environment. According to the ship's Chinese captain, the tanker is registered in Djibouti, which was however rejected by Djibouti, which has not been able to find the ship in its ship registe after having withdrawn the flage due to previous illegal activities of the ship, which has changed owners and names several times in recent years. The tanker had thus entered the Gulf of Finland on April 10 without valid flag state certification or insurance. The vessel is also subject to sanctions imposed by the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland for past illicit conduct. After entering Estonia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the ship was contacted and directed into Estonian territorial waters for inspection. The tanker is sailing in ballast and was on its way to Ust-Luga in Russia, when the Estonian authorities intervened, exercising its rights and international obligations to inspect a stateless vessel. Operating without a flag leaves a vessel outside any national jurisdiction, violating international maritime norms. The majority of the ship's 24-man crew is from China, the rest from Mauritania. Report with photo: https://tvpworld.com/86137104/estonian-inspectors-find-detained-shadow-fleet-tanker-has-dozens-of-deficiencies

Russian shadow tanker seized by Estonian Navy

On the morning of April 11, 2025, the Estonian Navy detained the 'Kiwala', a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" that exports Russian crude oil and oil products to third countries, en route from Sikka to the Russian port Ust-Luga. Estonia began preparing for the operation on the evening of April 10, and the operation itself began on April 11 at 3 a.m. At 4:19 a.m., the tanker entered Estonian waters. The vessel is now east of Aegna Island, with two warships alongside it. The vessel was under sanctions in connection with its previous activities in the European Union and was heading to Ust-Luga. The tanker had no flag, and such vessels are not allowed to move. During the detention, the technical condition of the vessel and the crew's documents were checked. A helicopter was involved in the operation. There were 24 people on board the tanker. The captain of the vessel is a Chinese national, who is cooperating with the investigation. Recently, the vessel has been flying the flag of Djibouti. The tanker was anchored in pos. 59° 35' N 024° 49' E. Report with photos: https://censor.net/en/photonews/3546274/russian-shadow-fleet-tanker-kiwala-detained-in-estonia