German Police Intercept Suspected Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker Over Baltic Sabotage

German federal police have inspected the cargo ship Arne in Kiel over suspicions of sabotage, reported by German media DPA on February 26.

The vessel, sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, was en route from St. Petersburg to Seville, Spain.

According to Kieler Nachrichten, authorities are investigating whether the ship may have damaged an undersea data cable near the Swedish island of Gotland.

Notably, the vessel was missing an anchor, raising further suspicion.

After questioning the crew, German police allowed the ship to continue its journey through the Kiel Canal. However, officials have declined to comment on any findings, citing an ongoing investigation.

In recent months, an unusual number of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged, fueling concerns of sabotage linked to Russian-affiliated ships.

In December, Finland detained the tanker Eagle S under similar suspicions.

In response to the growing threats, NATO nations bordering the Baltic have ramped up naval patrols to protect critical infrastructure.

Earlier, Norway seized the Russian tanker with Troms Police District brought in the Norwegian-owned cargo ship Silver Dania following a court request from Latvian authorities.

The ship is suspected of being involved in damage to a fiber-optic cable in the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Sweden.

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