<
https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1151955/Russia-linked-cable-cutting-tanker-seized-by-Finland-was-loaded-with-spying-equipment>
"RUSSIA-LINKED dark fleet* tanker
Eagle S (IMO: 9329760), seized by Finland
on December 25 for damaging an undersea cable, had transmitting and receiving
devices installed that effectively allowed it to become a “spy ship” for
Russia,
Lloyd’s List has learnt.
The hi-tech equipment on board was abnormal for a merchant ship and consumed
more power from the ship’s generator, leading to repeated blackouts, a source
familiar with the vessel who provided commercial maritime services to it as
recently as seven months ago.
As well as
Eagle S, another related tanker from the same ownership cluster,
UK-sanctioned
Swiftsea Rider (IMO: 9318539), also had similar equipment
installed,
Lloyd’s List was told.
Cook Islands-flagged
Eagle S and Honduras-flagged
Swiftsea Rider are two of
26 elderly Russia-linked tankers with opaque ownership structures connected to
three related shipmanagers, including two sanctioned by the UK government 12
months ago for “propping up Putin’s war machine”.
The sanctions-circumventing tankers were bought between 2022 and 2023 and
placed under bareboat charter arrangements with Eiger Shipping, the shipping
arm of Russia oil trader Litasco.
Eagle S was boarded by Finnish forces investigating sabotage of the Estlink 2
undersea cable that disrupted the supply of electricity to Estonia from
Finland.
The tanker slowed and dragged its anchor around the cable around midday,
December 25, Finland’s police said. Another three cables were also damaged.
The source, who declined to be identified to protect their safety, supplied at
least 60 confidential documents about
Eagle S to
Lloyd’s List in June,
including the vetting report that outlined many safety deficiencies discovered
during an inspection undertaken while at anchor in Danish waters that month.
These documents, and others relating to dark fleet tankers providing
confidential and private information about class, insurance, and flag, and
other technical and regulatory requirements, were verified as genuine at the
time."
Via Christoph S.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
