Update from 10/05/2025 see below
With the seizure of the crude oil tanker "Eventin" (152,000 tdw), which is attributed to the Russian shadow fleet, Germany is skipping several stages of escalation, according to a sanctions expert. It is unclear what will happen to the ship and its cargo. Always close by: a ship from the Coast Guard Coordination Network. The Federal Coast Guard has been a coordination network of several federal authorities since 1994 - including the BPol See, customs, the water police of the coastal states and the fisheries inspectorates.
The Baltic Sea. Image: NordNordWest, CC BY-SA 3.0
The "Eventin" has been anchored off Sassnitz since mid-January. The tanker was towed there after a total blackout off the island of Rügen and detained by the German authorities. At the end of March, the ship and cargo were confiscated by German customs and the crew replaced, as announced by the Federal Ministry of Finance. This gave Germany control of the ship and cargo, but also the security obligation as the new owner.
Sanctions expert Sascha Lohmann from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) described the seizure to NDR as a "significant escalation". It is surprising that the German government is taking the risk of doing this on the basis of an unclear legal situation, as the previous owners of the tanker could take legal action. There are also growing concerns about a possible Russian reaction.
As NDR has learnt from security circles, the seizure of the ship is probably also due to the decisions made at the NATO Baltic Sea Summit in Helsinki in January. At the summit, the countries agreed to take more effective action to protect critical infrastructure (KRITIS) and to counter Russia's shadow fleet and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea region. Among other things, the "Baltic Sentry" mission was agreed, in which the German Navy is also participating.
The Foreign Office, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice had coordinated closely before the seizure. A risk assessment was carried out with regard to a possible Russian reaction and a decision was made based on this. Worst-case scenarios" were also taken into account, apparently including fears that the tanker "Eventin" could be the target of hybrid attacks and thus trigger an environmental disaster.
kdk, NDR
Update from 10/05/2025
As expected, the crude oil tanker "Eventin" has become a case for the courts. The owner has filed a lawsuit against the seizure and confiscation of the ship, which was wrecked in the Baltic Sea off Rügen in January.
The tax court in Greifswald has suspended a corresponding ruling by the main customs office. This is an intermediate judicial step. This does not mean that the "Eventin" can continue travelling. The tax court will continue to hear the case. Until a court decision has been reached, the federal government must refrain from taking enforcement measures, i.e. neither the oil may be pumped out nor the ship sold. According to the tax court, there are reasonable doubts as to whether the ship owner can invoke an "exception applicable to cases of distress at sea". However, this examination must be reserved for the main proceedings. A date for this has not yet been set.
This meant that the owner of the ship, which was carrying around 100,000 tonnes of oil, was provisionally able to assert itself against the enforcement with a so-called application for suspension.
kdk, Tagesschau, Nordkurier
English 
German
What legal basis was used here for the decommissioning or confiscation of the ship?
The previous government's actions "with the handbrake on" did not lead to a positive reaction from the Russian government. So other strings must now be pulled. That's a good thing!
The court in Greifswald has suspended the seizure of the tanker Eventin for the time being. As already described, it could become a farce. Time will tell. At least the Estonian tanker Kiwala had to be released again.
The Eventin has been monitored by the customs ship of the customs administration, ZS Borkum, since February of this year.
Perhaps some better research would be appropriate here.
Dear Mr Schüler, thank you for your comment. Not only the customs vessel BORKUM is involved in the "guarding" of the EVENTIN, but several units of the Coast Guard Coordination Network are usually involved in the measures. In addition to the customs units, this naturally also includes the units of the Federal Maritime Police. In some cases, both federal authorities were even deployed at the same time. In this respect, we will rephrase the sentence in the article as:Always nearby: a ship from the Coast Guard Coordination Network.
The editorial team
This is actually an impossible process on the part of the German authorities. This Russophobia will neither end the war nor weaken Russia. If international courts rule against Germany, it will only be ridiculous. The people responsible for this process are no longer in office. Faeser, Bearbock and the Finance Minister.
That's good, finally take action! Show an edge instead of always saying: we should, we could, we should...
Erdogan, Netanyahu, Trump, etc. don't seem to have any laws either, except for their own interests?