Russian Ghost Ship To Be Removed From Polish Port of Gdynia After 7 Years

Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure announced a recent order to remove an old Russian tanker that has been sitting at the Gdynia Port for over 7 years, which had been detained at the facility in October 2017.

The 23,000 DWT product tanker Khatanga has become the centre of attention as it raises concerns over Russian espionage apart from security and maritime safety concerns as it has not undergone any maintenance for years.

Port Officials stated that they had tried for months to get permission to get rid of the tanker which had remained there since it failed a port inspection in 2017.

Its owner, the Murmansk Shipping Company had agreed to undertake repairs to handle the structural problems pointed out in the inspection and also equip the crew members with the required training. However, the shipping company went bankrupt and since then the tanker has remained at the Port.

It is now a security hazard, which threatens port safety. Per media reports, the tanker has broken from its moorings twice, though tugs were able to secure it.

Port authorities have said that since a trustee was named in the bankruptcy which has seldom kept a check on the ship, it cannot be listed as abandoned.

The main reason for this step has been maintenance issues and the fact that it has not been operational. Its fuel cargo tanks have not been adequately vented, leading to a possible buildup of explosive gases or vapours.

There have been discussions regarding the ship’s use by Russians to carry out spying activities on NATO since this port has been used for loading and unloading military supplies, including shipping of military equipment to Ukraine. There have been speculations regarding the ship being fitted with recording devices as well.

Poland’s State Secretary Arkadiusz Marchewka announced in a social media post that they will remove the Russian scrap from their port to ensure the safety of port infrastructure.

Gdynia’s Maritime Directorate’s official order says that the ship must be removed as soon as possible, but has also set a deadline of 90 days.

The port will likely sell or auction the ship, but it is known that the ship cannot navigate using its own power, it might be sold for scrap.

The Directorate has allowed port authorities to ask the tanker’s owner for reimbursement of costs for the entire time the vessel was moored in the port.

The port authority would utilise the proceeds from the vessel’s sale to cover some costs and the unpaid dockage fee.

References: Polskie Radio, Full Avante News, Notes From Poland

Source: Maritime Shipping News