A Russian tanker that had been unlawfully and irresponsibly detained in the Polish port of Gdynia for over eight years due to numerous violations and neglect of obligations has finally left the country’s territory
This has become significant news for the security and diplomatic agencies of the European Union, as the prolonged detention of the vessel not only worsened the environmental situation but also posed potential risks to navigation and port safety. According to information provided by Arkadiusz Markevka, the Undersecretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, the vessel "Khatanга" had been anchored along the quays of the Gdynia port for a long eight years since 2017, violating numerous norms and safety requirements. Throughout this time, the Russian ship was officially declared scrap, but it remained moored at the docks, negatively impacting regional safety and creating potential hazards for navigation activities in the Baltic Sea. After lengthy judicial and technical procedures lasting several years, it is now officially confirmed that "Khatanга" has left the port of Gdynia. According to Markevka, the vessel will be transported to Denmark, where it will be cut up for scrap metal. This process is part of a plan to dispose of and manage hazardous and obsolete ships that pose ecological and security risks to countries in the region. Information from the Maritime Office in Gdynia indicates that "Khatanга" had already been classified as scrap and met all necessary regulations for its disposal. The application of European standards and international cooperation has been a crucial component of the process of removing the entire vessel from the disputed territory—an operation that exemplifies the unity and determination of regional countries to control outdated Russian ships, many of which are used for illegal fishing or shadow operations. Notably, due to years of delays in conducting required technical work, "Khatanга" has become largely unfit for autonomous navigation. For its safe transportation, special technical procedures were carried out onboard starting from March, facilitating the removal process, although these interventions were accompanied by several incidents, such as two cases of the vessel breaking free from the dock, complicating safety and logistics. The broader context of this operation extends beyond its technical aspects. It also demonstrates the European Union’s active policy to monitor and restrict the use of shadow Russian fleet vessels operating in international waters—so-called ships often involved in illegal supplies, sanctions circumventions, and other dubious activities. During Poland’s presidency of the European Union, under the theme "Security, Europe!", calls were made to strengthen measures for monitoring such ships and to implement new strategies to combat Russia’s shadow fleet. It is also important to highlight that significant steps have been previously taken in this field. For example, the Swedish government has adopted a new decree aimed at increasing inspections of insured ships and reducing the free movement of foreign vessels through stringent checks on their origin and activities. The EU has already listed over 350 ships in its sanctions list associated with the shadow fleet linked to Russia. This confirms European efforts to reduce the use of illegal and uncontrolled vessels that may fund and support dangerous or illegal activities. Overall, the completion of the operation to remove the Russian tanker "Khatanга" from the Polish port exemplifies the EU’s proactive security policies and cooperation aimed at fighting potentially threatening and illegal structures used in maritime fleets and operations that may violate international law and pose new risks to the security and environment of the region. At the same time, it marks another step in the ongoing process of ensuring that past neglect in maritime safety and vessel management is not repeated in the future.