Estonia’s authorities detained a refrigerated container ship off the coast of Naissaar after it entered Estonian waters while en route from Ecuador to Saint Petersburg. According to the services, there were indications the vessel may have been used for smuggling; at this stage, the type of cargo has not been disclosed.

The operation took place on Tuesday evening in Estonia’s internal waters. The police special unit K-Commando boarded the ship and secured the situation, after which Estonian customs officers were allowed to begin their inquiry. The authorities confirmed that the crew did not resist and is fully cooperating with the inspection.

The unit’s commander, Marek Aas, said the operation proceeded calmly and stressed that his team’s mission was to ensure the ship’s security so that other services could carry out their work. He categorically ruled out any links to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and also excluded any breach of European Union sanctions, emphasizing that the ship is neither sanctioned nor connected to sanctioned networks. He avoided speculating whether the case involves narcotics, noting that the investigation will determine the details.

Available information indicates the vessel was built in 2018 and sails under the flag of Bahamas. Measuring roughly 188 meters in length, it entered Estonian waters to bunker (refuel) and, at the time of the inspection, was located at an official anchorage near Tallinn. The operator is Cool Carriers, with operations and corporate links in Cyprus and Sweden.

The intervention carries significance beyond a single customs check. With tensions elevated in the Baltic region, any incident involving a ship headed for Russia immediately raises questions about sanctions evasion, smuggling, and the security of maritime routes. In this case, Estonian authorities are clearly separating the sanctions angle from a potential criminal-smuggling investigation: they describe it as a suspected smuggling case, not a sanctions-enforcement action.

For now, the vessel is expected to remain under supervision and may be directed to port for a more thorough, time-consuming inspection. Estonian services say further details—including any potential charges—will depend on the results of the ongoing investigation.