Finnish Coast Guard Monitors Russia-Linked Tankers
While the investigation is ongoing into the damage believed caused to undersea cables by one tanker in the Russian oil trade, the Finnish Coast Guard reports it is now monitoring two other tankers also in the Russian oil trade that are in the area of the Gulf of Finland. One of the tankers reported engine troubles, prompting a response from the Coast Guard, while they said weather could also be impacting the ship waiting to enter Russia’s Ust-Luga Port and the Primosk fuel oil terminal.
The Finnish Coast Guard received a report overnight on December 29 that the Panama-flagged product tanker Jazz (50,548 dwt) was experiencing engine trouble. The vessel, which is 600 feet (183 meters) in length, was south of Hankoniemi at the mouth of the Gulf of Finland. The crew told the Coast Guard they were attempting to make repairs.
After drifting during the night, the vessel anchored south of Hanko in a sheltered area. The Coast Guard made the decision to assign a tugboat and to send its patrol ship Turva to the area. The goal is to ensure the ship does not again start drifting.
They are reporting the danger is low. The vessel is traveling in ballast reporting it was coming from Port Sudan to load in Russia. Built in 2006, the vessel is owned and managed by Turkey’s Bekmezci Group, which Lloyd’s List cites as a known player in the Russian oil trade. Lloyd’s says many of the tankers in the group's Beks Ship Management fleet were renamed recently to avoid Western sanctions on the operation.
The Finnish Coast Guard reports that several tankers are circling in the Gulf of Finland citing strong winds in the area. The same weather on Sunday prevented additional underwater surveys at the site of the damage to the EstLink 2 power cable.
One crude oil tanker, the Guinea-Bissau registered Line (114,880 dwt) drew particular attention as it was circling in the area around the EstLink2 cable. The vessel is reported to have been lingering in the Gulf of Finland since mid-December with the crew telling the Finnish Coast Guard they were waiting to enter the Russian port. The tanker Line was sanctioned by the European Union in December as part of an effort targeting more than 50 tankers involved in the Russian oil trade.
Deputy Command of the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District Mikko Hirvi wrote on social media that they were monitoring the vessel, but they did not believe it posed any particular environmental risk. The speculation is that the vessel was not able to hold an anchorage due to the strong winds in the area.
Built in 2005, the Line is another tanker that was part of the Beks fleet. It switched to the Guinea-Bissau flag in March 2024. It continues to be managed from Turkey.