Adrift in the Baltic Sea, the “Eventin” poses a threat to security and tourism. Small Russian anti-submarine ship and chemical tanker at Baltic sea.
Credit: Shutterstock, Ninevija
Germany may have just averted an environmental catastrophe in the Baltic Sea. Tug boats have just hauled a drifting oil tanker, believed to be part of Moscow’s sneaky efforts to dodge sanctions, to the safety of calmer waters.
The Panama-flagged ‘Eventin,’ which was spotted adrift off the coast of Germany’s island of Rügen on January 10, 2025, had been floating dangerously in the Baltic Sea for several hours before it was pulled back.
A specialised Bremen tugboat was dispatched to prevent a possible disaster, successfully towing the tanker to safer territory. But, as Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pointed out, this wasn’t just a case of a rogue ship wandering off course – it was a clear threat to both European security and the region’s vital tourism industry.
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ oil tanker could have caused a serious oil spill
Greenpeace wasted no time in pointing fingers, declaring the ‘Eventin’ as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a clandestine armada of aging tankers designed to slip under the radar and continue supplying oil to Moscow, all while circumventing international sanctions. These sanctions, were slapped on Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
At the heart of the issue is the Eventin’s cargo. The tanker was reportedly carrying a staggering 99,000 tons of oil, originally heading from Russia to Egypt. However, its sudden drift through the Baltic Sea raised alarm bells, as it could have caused environmental devastation if it hadn’t been caught in time.
Baerbock was quick to condemn the situation, pointing out that Russia wasn’t just playing dirty with its war on Ukraine. “They’re risking European security with everything from sabotage and disinformation to dodgy, dilapidated oil tankers,” she said. “This goes beyond the battlefield – Russia’s meddling reaches the high seas, too.”
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