German rescue teams have been able to secure towing lines to a loaded oil tanker that lost its ability to maneuver in the Baltic Sea near the German island of Rügen, authorities said Friday.
The stricken tanker Eventin, loaded with 99,000 tonnes of oil, will now be towed to an as yet undetermined port by the emergency tug Bremen Fighter, according to the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME) .
The 274-meter-long and 48-meter-wide vessel remains sealed and does not pose an immediate environmental threat or a danger to the crew on board, a spokesman for the agency told dpa.
The Eventin, built in 2006 and sailing under the Panamanian flag, was en route from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to Egypt's Port Said, according to vessel tracking platform Vesselfinder.
The vessel is part of Russia's so-called “shadow fleet” used to export oil despite heavy sanctions on the country, according to a list of Russian-linked vessels sent by the environmental advocacy group Greenpeace together.
Ships in the “shadow fleet” are often outdated and in poor operational condition.
The Eventin suffered engine failure and was drifting in the Baltic Sea before being secured, according to CCME, although it was not clear at first why the engine failed.
The CCME said conditions in the Baltic Sea near where the Eventin was sailing included moderate to fresh winds, but the agency did not immediately provide details on the weather and swell.
A vessel from the German Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration, the Arkona, was also sent to join the tanker as well as the emergency Bremen Fighter.
A specially trained marine response team was also deployed to board the tanker and secure the towing connection.
After the incident, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Russia of causing serious damage to the environment.
“With the reckless use of a fleet of rusting tankers, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is not only bypassing sanctions, but also accepting that tourism on the Sea will stop Baltic – whether in the Baltic States, in Poland or in Poland. our country,” Baerbock said.
“Russia is endangering our European security not only with its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, but also with cut cables, moved border shops, campaigns disinfectants, GPS jammers and, as we have seen, broken oil tankers,” said the Green Party politician.
There were also comments from abroad, with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys speaking out for more decisive action and further measures against Russia's “shadow fleet”.
“The Baltic Sea is the most important gateway for Russia's oil exports and we must stop this,” he said during a visit to the Estonian capital Tallinn.
At the same time, the “shadow fleet” is an “instrument in hybrid activities” and is a threat to the environment, he said.
The Baltic Sea is one of the most visited seas in the world. According to the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research in the German city of Warnemünde (IOW), more than 2,000 ships travel through the inland sea every day.
A view of the unmanned oil tanker “Eventin” off the coast of the island of Ruegen. The oil tanker, which flies the flag of Panama, drifted for several hours in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Ruegen, unable to move – the German emergency services recovered the vessel in the afternoon. Stefan Sauer/dpa
