Estonia seizes unregistered Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker operating under fake Djibouti flag

Estonian forces have detained a tanker linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” near the island of Aegna. The vessel, named Kiwala and flying the flag of Djibouti despite lacking authentic registration from the African nation, was reportedly transporting crude oil and heading to the Russian port of Ust-Luga, navigating along Estonia’s territorial waters. On board were 24 individuals, including the captain, a Chinese national. Several Mauritanian citizens were among the crew, according to a report by the local publication Postimees, which cited the Estonian Navy Command.

After the vessel was detained, it presented a certificate of registration. However, a representative of Djibouti confirmed that the ship was not listed in the country’s maritime registry. No information about the vessel’s owner is currently available.

The ship’s captain has agreed to cooperate with the authorities. Without a legally recognized flag, the vessel’s presence at sea is considered unlawful. According to the commander of the Estonian Navy, the operation to detain the Kiwala was carried out in order to verify the legal status of a vessel believed to be under international sanctions.

Ukraine’s military intelligence portal War&Sanctions writes that the Kiwala is listed under sanctions imposed by the EU, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland due to its involvement in transporting Russian oil in violation of the G7+ embargo and the $60-per-barrel oil price cap, imposed in December 2022 to limit Moscow’s revenues amid the ongoing war. The tanker is operated by Tirad Shipping Inc., a company registered in Mauritius, and is the only vessel in the Tirad Shipping “fleet.”

The ship was previously captained by a man identified as Sergei Kharchenko and has been managed by the Turkish firm Unic Tanker Ship Management and India’s Gatik Ship Management — known as a key operator of Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Frequent changes in ownership and management are common practice for such vessels as they attempt to evade sanctions by obscuring the identities of their real beneficiaries.