Director of Maritime Division Kristjan Truu:
Yesterday, April 10, the sanctioned vessel Kiwala, lacking proper documentation entered Estonian waters. Estonia exercised its right to board and inspect the vessel.
Estonian Transport Administration boarded the ship to conduct the inspections that is routine practice as port State. During inspection, ships' compliance with international regulations is verified to ensure maritime safety, security and environmental protection. The inspection is currently undergoing.
If it turns out that there are no serious violations on the ship, the ship will be allowed to proceed. If it turns out that there are problems with the ship, the ship will be detained until the deficiencies have been eliminated.
Tanker Kiwala is sanctioned by the EU, UK, Canada, and Switzerland due to past illegal actions and is suspected that flag registry is suspended. Such activity violates Article 110(1)(d) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which applies to stateless vessels.
This operation is a coordinated effort by several Estonian security and state agencies to exercise our rights as a maritime nation and to ensure the safety of navigation in Estonian waters.
