The war from the Black Sea has spread to the oceans and… the Baltic Sea [OPINION]

The captain of the Titanic realized that no ship could be stopped and sunk. Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country would begin seizing Western ships if the West continued to detain Russian merchant ships. His statement meant that naval commands had already received orders to prepare for boarding ships from countries participating in imposing sanctions on the Russian Federation.

Although the announcement of repressive actions was made during an inspection of the Pacific Fleet, it is significant that the commander of this fleet confirmed his readiness to carry out such an order. This means that similar retaliatory actions can be expected from naval commanders stationed in Kaliningrad or St. Petersburg.

The Baltic Sea region, not the Pacific or Atlantic, could be the waters where such an incident could occur. Here, Russian navies operate virtually unchallenged. However, even the detention of a single ship sailing to a country in the region could be more than just a spectacular event. Above all, it may be “uncomfortable” (to use a euphemism) for the operator, freight forwarder, and cargo owner.

President Putin threatens to seize Western ships. This is a response to sanctions.

Above all, it may prove difficult for a country that has virtually no fleet under its own flag. Ships are currently managed by companies based around the world, and virtually every ship sailing the Baltic Sea is registered under a flag of convenience. Detaining a ferry sailing with “suspicious cargo” under the Bahamas flag will therefore be a problem for the Bahamas administration and the owner. Will the vessel be able to “recover” a detained ship registered with the Bahamas Maritime Authority?

The precedent of foreign flags was raised by Viktor Liina, Commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, who stated that European Union countries such as the United Kingdom and France use ships under the flags of other countries to transport goods, which, in his opinion, can also be called a “shadow fleet.”

In addition, there is the issue of stopping “suspicious” ships on high waters, their “plundering,” and the detention of captains and crews. Shadow fleet operators exploit the provisions of maritime law and the right to freedom of navigation. Observing ship traffic in Polish ports alone, one can see that a large proportion of ships in the Baltic Sea sail under foreign flags. It can be assumed that the interpretation of the “shadow fleet” adopted by the commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet has also been adopted by the commanders of the fleets in the Baltic and North Seas.

Any captain of a ship sailing under a flag other than that of a European Union country can expect their ship to be detained by the commander of a Baltic Fleet vessel as if it were a ship belonging to the “shadow fleet.” President Vladimir Putin’s statement should therefore be taken seriously. Accusations that “Western actions constitute piracy and theft” are not a euphemism in political language. They are a warning. They herald concrete retaliatory measures.

We should therefore expect real action from Russian ships soon. Which ship will be detained? Probably not an American, British, or French one. Are we sailing on a global Titanic? Probably not. Do we see the iceberg that’s in our path? Probably not.