Tanker crisis averted: Quick response in the Gulf of Finland
The tanker M/T Jazz from the "shadow fleet" experienced an engine failure at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. The Finnish Coast Guard took action to prevent environmental damage. The vessel was traveling from Sudan to Primorsk.
The Finnish Coast Guard reported an engine failure of the tanker M/T Jazz, part of the so-called shadow fleet. The vessel was drifting at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland, which required immediate intervention. A tugboat, patrol boat, and helicopter were dispatched to the scene to secure the ship from potential environmental hazards.
The tanker was not carrying oil
The M/T Jazz tanker, 183 metres in length, sails under the flag of Panama and is intended for transporting oil products and chemicals. Although it was not carrying oil, it had its own fuel supplies on board. The crew undertook repair work to prevent it from drifting again. The ship is currently anchored south of Hanko.
According to the coast guard, this situation is unrelated to the recent incident in the Gulf of Finland, involving damage to the underwater cables of the EstLink 2 energy line and several telecommunications cables. This event occurred last week, on Christmas Day.
The underwater infrastructure was not threatened by the anchoring of M/T Jazz, the guard reported. They added that actions are currently being taken to ensure that, due to the difficult weather conditions at sea, the ship does not drift onto shallows, sustain damage, or begin to leak.
