Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys called for a “strong and decisive” response to attacks on critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, BNS reports. Speaking during a meeting with Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics in Riga, Budrys urged to expand NATO patrols, impose sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet, and revise navigation rules in the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile,…
The cargo turnover of Estonia’s Port of Tallinn totalled over 13mn tonnes in 2024, which was up 4.4% from 2023, ERR reports. The port operator served over 8mn passengers in 2024, which was 3.6% more than a year earlier. The number of passengers on Estonia’s island ferries rose by 2.1% over a year. Port of…
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal will host a summit of Baltic rim NATO countries in Helsinki on 14 January 2025 to discuss the security of critical undersea infrastructure and Russia’s shadow fleet, ERR reports. Political leaders from all Baltic rim NATO countries, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission…
An anchor belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker, Eagle S, which is suspected of damaging several undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, has been retrieved from the seabed, YLE reports. The anchor was raised by the Swedish Navy’s submarine rescue ship, Belos. Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) will now begin analysing the…
Finnish telecommunications operator Elisa has repaired two data cables between Finland and Estonia that were damaged on Christmas Day, YLE reports. Elisa said that the cable damage had no impact on data transfer between Finland and Estonia. An oil tanker that is part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” is suspected of damaging four data cables and…
Estonian shipping company Tallink Grupp carried a total of 5,580,016 passengers in 2024, which was down 2.2% from 5,705,600 in 2023, ERR reports. The number of passengers increased by 2.5% on the route between Estonia and Finland and 8% on the routes between Estonia and Sweden, but decreased by 15.4% on the routes between Finland…
The possible closure of the Baltic Sea should “remain on the table,” Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics stated, LETA reports. Speaking in an interview with TV3, Rinkevics addressed the issue of protecting critical infrastructure, stressing the need to increase patrols and impose sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet. However, he noted that almost 2,000 vessels travel through…
Latvia and Lithuania refused to accept a new package of EU sanctions against Russia that would have allowed companies to continue doing business in Russia, BNS reports. Three unnamed EU diplomats told Politico that Latvia and Lithuania blocked a clause that included exceptions allowing EU companies to continue importing and exporting sanctioned goods. The clause…
Lithuania’s state-owned company, KN Energies, has acquired the LNG carrier, Independence, from Norway’s Höegh Evi (former Höegh LNG) for EUR 138mn, BNS reports. The handover ceremony was attended by the presidents of all three Baltic States and Poland. The floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), which serves as Lithuania’s LNG terminal, arrived at the port of…