Shipping firms may soon face fees to navigate the Baltic Sea, a vital shipping route, to fund the protection of undersea cables. This follows a series of suspected sabotage incidents, with NATO deploying forces to safeguard the region’s infrastructure.
Shipping companies may soon face a fee to navigate the Baltic Sea, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, to cover the growing costs of protecting undersea cables, as highlighted by Estonia's defence minister on Wednesday. The proposal follows a series of breaches, which have raised concerns over the security of vital power and communications infrastructure.
NATO recently announced the deployment of frigates, patrol aircraft, and drones to monitor the Baltic after several incidents where ships have caused damage to cables with their anchors, suspected to be acts of sabotage. Alongside these patrols, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur discussed the possibility of additional measures, such as installing sensors to detect anchor movements or constructing protective barriers around the cables.
These protective measures, however, will incur substantial costs, with the potential for consumers to bear the financial burden through increased taxes or utility costs. Pevkur proposed a solution that would involve charging vessels passing through the Baltic Sea, particularly in areas like the Danish Straits, to help fund the protection efforts. He compared this potential fee to airport landing charges included in ticket prices.
With around 150 undersea cables damaged globally each year, the Baltic Sea is particularly vulnerable due to its dense maritime traffic, with estimates suggesting as many as 4000 ships cross the region daily. The situation has been exacerbated by recent incidents, including the seizure of a Maltese-flagged vessel by Swedish authorities in connection with damage to a cable linking Latvia and Sweden.
Pevkur suggested that the incidents may be the result of coordinated actions by vessels linked to Russia’s "shadow fleet", although official investigations are still ongoing. Moscow has dismissed these claims, accusing Western nations of making unfounded accusations. As discussions continue, countries must find a collective solution to safeguard the region’s undersea cables and maintain maritime security.
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The Asian Development Bank will grant nearly $1 million to upgrade Kyrgyzstan’s energy data system, with more large-scale energy investments in the pipeline.
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China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to participate in the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the opening ceremony of the Fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo.
The Asian Development Bank will grant nearly $1 million to upgrade Kyrgyzstan’s energy data system, with more large-scale energy investments in the pipeline.
After nearly a decade of talks, Indonesia and the European Union aim to finalize a free trade deal by the end of June.
Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali and Dmitry Bakanov, CEO of the Russian state space corporation Roscosmos, met on Friday to discuss expanding space cooperation, including the joint production of satellites.
Tensions are rising along the Thailand–Cambodia border as both nations reinforce their military presence following a deadly skirmish and failed de-escalation talks.
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