Eagle S Tanker Barred From Sailing Over Safety Issues
A tanker linked to an alleged Russian “shadow fleet” has been barred from sailing following a safety inspection by Finnish authorities. The vessel, known as Eagle S and flying the Cook Islands flag, was detained on December 28 as part of a criminal investigation into suspected sabotage regarding damaged Baltic Sea cables.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) reported that the vessel has been deemed unseaworthy due to significant deficiencies found during the inspection. Traficom stated, “Based on the deficiencies found during the inspection, the vessel must not be operated until the serious deficiencies have been rectified.”
Inspection Reveals Critical Deficiencies
During the inspection, a total of 32 deficiencies were identified, many of which pertained to the ship’s safety management system. Notably, three of these deficiencies were classified as critical, particularly affecting the vessel’s fire safety, navigation equipment, and the ventilation system in the pump room.
Sanna Sonninen, the director general of Traficom’s maritime sector, emphasized that addressing these deficiencies would require external assistance and substantial time for repairs.
