Finnish, Estonian operators waive seizure of oil tanker after baltic cable breach

Finnish power grid operator Fingrid and its Estonian partner Elering have agreed to forgo seizing the Cook Islands-registered Eagle S oil tanker, which is accused of damaging a Baltic Sea power cable in December.

The decision comes as part of a broader effort to rapidly restore service on the compromised Estlink 2 interconnector.

The Eagle S was boarded by Finland’s coast guard on December 26 and remains anchored in a Finnish bay while investigations continue into the incident, which involved not only the breach of the power cable but also the damage of four fibre-optic internet lines. Fingrid stated that the cost of taking over and maintaining the vessel would likely exceed its value. Instead, the companies plan to seek compensation through legal action.

“At this stage, Fingrid and Elering will pay the repair costs to make the (Estlink 2) interconnector available as quickly as possible,” the operator said in a statement on Sunday.

The decision highlights the ongoing challenges facing the Baltic Sea region, which has experienced a series of outages affecting power cables, telecommunications links, and gas pipelines since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In response, NATO has increased its presence in the area with additional frigates, aircraft, and naval drones.

The waiver of the seizure reflects a calculated move by the grid operators, prioritizing swift restoration of critical infrastructure over the potential administrative and financial burdens of maintaining the stranded vessel. Further investigations into the breach are expected to continue as authorities work to determine the full extent of the damage and liability.