UN Security Council Open Debate “Strengthening maritime security through international cooperation for global stability”
Statement delivered by H.E. Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Estonia
20 May 2025, New York
President,
Thank you for organizing this important open debate. I’d also like to thank the briefers for their valuable insight. We align with the statement delivered by the European Union.
Like the Greek, we, Estonians have always considered ourselves a seafaring nation. The Baltic Sea accounts for more than half of Estonia’s border and has been a source of food and a major trading route throughout our history. As a costal state, Estonia has a particular responsibility when it comes to mitigating maritime safety and security risks in our region and beyond.
President,
Let me focus on the security situation of the Baltic Sea. Firstly, the so-called shadow fleet and secondly, undersea energy and communication connections
Since the beginning of the Russia´s war of aggression against Ukraine, the number of vessels engaged in illegal activities in the Baltic Sea, evading compliance with safety or environmental regulations, have dramatically increased. The so-called shadow fleet, consisting up to 2000 substandard vessels, is used to avoid sanctions and to finance Russia´s war against Ukraine.
Shadow fleet is used for transporting mainly crude oil and petroleum products originating from Russia. The vessels are often in a poor condition and without reliable insurance coverage. They pose a direct threat to the maritime safety, underwater and costal environment. It is only a matter of time when they cause a major disaster. It would have catastrophic impact to the particularly sensitive maritime environment of the Baltic Sea and the coastal states would have to bear the burden of the damage.
Increasing number of the shadow fleet vessels in the Baltic Sea are without a flag or sail under a false flag. On the 13th of May a tanker named “Jaguar” without a flag and without insurance entered the Estonian Economic Zone. The vessel refused Estonian Authorities request to inspect it in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which grants states the right to inspect ships without a nationality. While the vessel continued its route, a Russian fighter jet deliberately violated Estonia’s airspace escorting the vessel to the Russia´s waters. This dangerous incident proved inter alia that there is a clear-cut link between the shadow fleet and Russia.
We call on Russia to stop its reckless behaviour immediately.
We would also like to urge all relevant stakeholders to promote actions to prevent illegal operations in the maritime sector by the shadow fleet [in accordance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) resolution A.1192(33) adopted on 6 December 2023].
Finally, damaging critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea has also become frequent. There have been four serious incidents from October 2023 to January 2025. To remind that damaging undersea infrastructure, if done wilfully or through culpable negligence in the exclusive economic zones of other states or beneath the high seas, shall be treated as a punishable offence in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Article 113.
To recall the words of the Secretary General from this morning – respect for international law is the anchor of maritime security.
I thank you.
