Eventin

Ice buildup has reached the "Eventin". Thin debris ice and/or new ice was drifting in the area where the tanker was anchored,, the customs authority announced, citing information from the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH). However, this did not render the 'Eventin' unmaneuverable. The crew's supplies remained guaranteed. Customs were in direct contact with the crew. The tanker remained stationary off the coast of Rügen due to ongoing legal proceedings as of Feb 5.

On Jan 7, 2026, Greepeace activists have protested against the Russian shadow fleet tanker 'Eventin' from inflatable boats near the anchorage off the coast of Rügen, Five activists approached the "Eventin" to within about 100 meters, carrying a banner that read "Oil kills." In January 2025, all systems had failed on the tanker, which was loaded with almost 100,000 tons of Russian oil, off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The ship drifted in the Baltic Sea for hours before it was taken in tow. As part of the shadow fleet, over 1,000 tankers are "ready for the scrap heap, poorly maintained, and operating with poorly trained crews on the world's oceans. Russia exports its crude oil using these junk tankers, of which up to five pass the German Baltic coast daily carrying Russian crude oil. It's not a question of if something will happen, but only when. And the profits from this transport are used to build missiles and drones to bombard cities in Ukraine. This must stop immediately," said Thilo Maack, a marine biologist with Greenpeace, after the action German customs initially wanted to seize and dispose of the "Eventin" and its cargo. The Federal Fiscal Court (BFH) recently halted these orders on appeal. This was only an expedited proceeding. The legal tug-of-war could continue in a main proceeding. Furthermore, the ship's owner is challenging the listing and sanctioning as a shadow fleet tanker before the Court of Justice of the EU. Report with photo: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/ein-jahr-nach-havarie-greenpeace-protest-bei-der-eventin,greenpeace-158.html

The shadow fleet tanker "Eventin," loaded with 99000 tons Russian oil, cannot be seized and disposed of along with its cargo for the time being. This was the ruling of the Federal Fiscal Court. After the tanker had drifted toward the coast of Rügen after an engine failure, the customs had seized the ship and its cargo as they were subject to EU sanctions. The owner had argued that the ship entered German waters unintentionally due to a technical defect. The owner claims they never intended to transport sanctioned oil products into the EU, according to the legal arguments in the case against the European Council. Since then, customs and the owner, the Marshall Islands-based Laliya Shipping Corporation, have been disputing whether the seizure was lawful. The Federal Fiscal Court (BFH) in Munich saw "justified doubts" about the legality of the confiscation, as the court announced on the morning of Dec 11. According to the court, the ship was not intentionally driven into EU waters. Furthermore, aspects of international law, such as the right of emergency, must be considered. This right allows ships in distress to enter a port. The ship and its cargo cannot initially be transferred into the ownership of the Federal Republic of Germany, and therefore the oil on board cannot be pumped out by German customs for the time being, the Judge Anette Kugelmüller-Pugh stated. The situation that the ship is off the coast of Rügen will therefore remain unchanged for the time being. The Federal Fiscal Court's (BFH) decision was made in preliminary injunction proceedings. Therefore, the legal wrangling over the ship and its cargo could continue in a main trial. The Greifswald Tax Court had suspended the seizure of the "Eventin" and the oil pending a decision in the main proceedings. Customs appealed this decision to the Federal Fiscal Court. The Federal Fiscal Court has now upheld the Greifswald judges' decision. The presence of the tanker was causing great concern on Rügen, where residents feared that the tanker could be damaged by winter storms at its anchorage five nautical miles off the island's east coast. The Federal Ministry of Finance has examined various alternative berths for the tanker with the conclusion was that there was no suitable port in Germany for relocating the 'Eventin' and that the current position remained the preferred option. By seizing the tanker and the oil, German authorities wanted to send a signal that they will not stand idly by while Russian oil shipments pass through the Baltic Sea.

Concerns were growing that the 'Eventin', which former belonged to Russia's shadow fleet, could pose a threat to the environment. Howevethe tanker will not be taken to port for the time being. The Jasmund National Park and Rügen's famous chalk cliffs are located very close to theancorage. German customs apparently had assumed they could quickly dispose of the ship and its cargo of oil after seizing it. However, the ship's previous owner, the Laliya Shipping Corp., a company registered in the Marshall Islands, filed a lawsuit with the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Tax Court, arguing that customs had no legal basis for seizing the 'Eventin', as there was no sanctioned oil on board. Contrary to the information on the bill of lading, the cargo was not heavy fuel oil subject to EU sanctions, but refined oil, which is not subject to EU sanctions. Furthermore, the 'Eventin' did not enter German territorial waters intentionally, but rather as a result of a technical defect. Therefore, there was no deliberate importation of Russian oil into German territorial waters and consequently no violation of sanctions, according to the lawsuit. Moreover, any ship can invoke the right to seek refuge in a port of emergency during an accident. The complex legal issues could not be resolved at the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Tax Court. The Federal Fiscal Court is now handling the case. A decision is not expected until the end of the year at the earliest. Until a court decision is reached, further enforcement measures are to be suspended, according to the Federal Ministry of Finance. The previous owner of the 'Eventin' had filed another lawsuit on April 25 and is represented by lawyer Henrike Koch from Hamburg. This lawsuit is directed against the Council of the European Union. The EU had listed the 'Eventin' as a shadow tanker on Feb 24. The lawsuit argues that there is insufficient evidence to support this claim, illustrating how difficult it is to ensure compliance with international environmental and safety standards through this channel. In particular, older oil tankers like the 19-year-old 'Eventin' are posing a significant risk and are considered substandard vessels because they are usually poorly maintained. This is especially problematic when they operate in ecologically sensitive sea areas such as the Baltic Sea. Under international maritime law, Germany is obligated to minimize environmental hazards to the Baltic Sea caused by shipping. The International Maritime Organization has defined 17 marine areas worldwide as particularly sensitive. The UN agency includes the Baltic Sea in this list. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) allows states to implement special measures to protect such sensitive sea areas. These measures include restrictions on oil tankers. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) also obliges all states, but especially coastal states, to take active measures to protect the seas.

The "Eventin" remained anchored off the coast of Rügen for months, causing growing unrest due to its cargo of approximately 100,000 tons of Russian crude oiil. The German authorities secured the tanker in a complex rescue operation and anchored it southeast of the port of Sassnitz. But the legal tug-of-war over the legality of the seizure is going on. A key factor in the legal dilemma is that the decision in the legal dispute over the tanker, expected in September, has been delayed for the time being. The Federal Fiscal Court in Munich has been requested extensive written submissions from the customs authorities, the review of which will take time. The responsible senate now intends to make a decision by the end of the year, a delay, which is leading to additional uncertainty about the tanker's future. The Main Customs Office has filed an appeal against a decision by the Greifswald Finance Court. In May, the court suspended the immediate confiscation of the ship and its cargo. The various legal challenges contributed to the tanker remaining in a state of limbo. As long as the dispute is not resolved, the ship cannot be moved or used. Environmentalists were warning of the risks posed by the tanker at its current amchorage. The upcoming storm season increases the risk of a potential accident that could have far-reaching environmental impacts Residents and local politicians were also raising concerns about the tanker's continued presence and the associated risks.

A decision in the legal dispute surrounding the "Eventin," which remained anchored off Rügen island, is being delayed. A comprehensive written submission from the customs authorities was recently received as part of the ongoing proceedings at the Federal Fiscal Court in Munich. The review will take some time. The responsible senate aims to make a decision by the end of 2025. The Main Customs Office had filed an appeal with the Federal Fiscal Court against a decision by the Greifswald Fiscal Court. In May, the Finance Court in Greifswald initially suspended the ordered immediate confiscation of the ship and its cargo pending a decision in the main proceedings. The ship's owner had provisionally prevailed with a corresponding motion. The tanker, loaded with approximately 100,000 tons of oil, is one of the vessels of the so-called Russian shadow fleet, which is subject to sanctions. After departing from Ust-Luga, it drifted in the Baltic Sea for hours in January, being unable to maneuver, after all systems had failed. Before, it had repeatedly traveled between Russia and India in the past. The environmental organization WWF is calling for the ship to be unloaded. Since transferring oil at sea is not an option and German Baltic Sea ports are unsuitable, Danish ports must be asked for assistance. However, the legal situation makes this difficult.

The future of the "Eventin," which remained anchored off Rügen, remains uncertain. It has not yet been clarified what will happen to the ship, cargo, and crew. The tankerhas now been registered under the German flag, The tanker was one of more than 150 ships in the Russian shadow fleet that are subject to sanctions. At the end of March, the Federal Ministry of Finance confirmed that the ship and its cargo had been confiscated and impounded. This meantthat Germany could dispose of the oil and the ship. Anchorage. The "Eventin" remained under customs supervision in the Nordperd roadstead, a specially designated anchorage where ships carrying, for example, dangerous goods can moor safely without disrupting port operations or the surrounding area. The change of flag became necessary to establish clear responsibilities, in order for it to be legally operated, inspected, or sold, The new flag state Germany is thus temporarily assuming responsibility for the ship in order to be able to manage it under applicable law, The legal tug-of-war over the tanker's future continues. The customs authorities have filed an appeal with the Federal Fiscal Court against a decision by the Greifswald Fiscal Court. In May, the Federal Customs Administration initially suspended the ordered immediate confiscation of the ship and cargo pending a decision in the main proceedings. A decision on the appeal is still pending. No hearings have been scheduled so far. The previous owner has made changes to the crew and captain since January. The customs is in direct contact with the crew and is assisting in providing supplies for them.

The legal tug-of-war over the future of the"Eventin" continues. Customs authorities have filed an appeal with the Federal Fiscal Court against a decision by the Greifswald Fiscal Court. In May, the court initially suspended the ordered immediate confiscation of the ship and its cargo pending a decision in the main proceedings. A decision on the appeal is still pending. No hearings have yet been scheduled. The owner of the ship had provisionally prevailed in Greifswald with a so-called application for a stay of execution. However, this did not constitute a final assessment of the legal situation. Customs confiscated the ship, which belongs to the Russian shadow fleet, in March. The Customs is in direct contact with the crew and is assisting in providing for the crew. It is currently unclear when a ruling from the Federal Finance Court can be expected. The disposal of the ship and its cargo, as well as the timeframe for this, are depending on the further course of the legal proceedings. In his application to the Greifswald Finance Court, the owner complained that there were serious doubts about the confiscation order. The actual main proceedings regarding the shipowner's objection are pending before the Main Customs Office. If a decision is made, legal remedies are also possible there. The value of the cargo of 100,000 tons of oil is approximately 40 million euros. The tanker is one of more than 150 ships in the Russian shadow fleet that are subject to sanctions. The confiscation also created the legal prerequisites for the disposal of the ship and its cargo. The ship remains anchored off Rügen, but in mid-April it was towed to an anchorage approximately three nautical miles from its previous mooring.

The Finance Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, based in Greifswald (Vorpommern-Greifwald district), has suspended the confiscation order of the' Eventin', issued by German customs authorities. This is an interim judicial step and does not mean that the "Eventin" can set sail again. The Finance Court will continue to hear the case; until then, the federal government is not permitted to do anything with the ship — neither pump out the oil nor sell the vessel, due to ongoing appeal proceedings against the confiscation of the tanker by the customs authorities. According to the Finance Court, there are reasonable doubts as to whether the shipowner can invoke an "exceptional circumstance applicable to cases of distress at sea." However, this review must be reserved for the main proceedings. A date for this has not yet been set.