This handout picture released by The Finnish Border Guard on 26 December 2024 shows the Oil tanker Eagle S on the sea outside the Porkkalanniemi. Photo: HANDOUT / AFP
A Cook Islands-registered ship being seized by Finnish authorities over a suspected incident of sabotage "creates a bad look" for New Zealand, an international law professor says.
Reuters reported that Finnish authorities seized a Cook Islands-registered ship carrying Russian oil in the Baltic Sea, suspecting it caused a power cable outage and damaged or broke four internet lines.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said they were aware of the incident, but New Zealand was not responsible for the management of the Cook Islands shipping registry.
MFAT said New Zealand was concerned about Russia's use of a "shadow fleet" of vessels to circumvent sanctions.
The Cook Islands self-governs in free association with New Zealand. It conducts its own affairs, but Aotearoa needs to assist when it comes to foreign affairs, disasters and defence.
The situation would not help New Zealand's relationship with the Cook Islands, University of Waikato law professor Al Gillespie said.
"It creates a bad look when everyone associates the Cook Islands with New Zealand and a Cook Islands vessel gets caught in what may or may not be an act of sabotage in the Baltic," he said.
"I think New Zealand has got an admirable and a good position on the war in the Ukraine and our sanctions against Russia. We are not neutral we are giving a lot of support to the Ukraine and I believe that's the right thing to do.
"But it does create an anomaly when a Cook Islands-flagged vessel is engaged or connected to an act which may be an accident or may be sabotage. We've got to wait to see how that plays out."
MFAT said New Zealand shared concerns with the Cook Islands government over its shipping registry being used to aid Russia's shadow fleet, and the impact this could have on its international reputation.
It appeared the situation was being taken very seriously, Gillespie said.
"To actually seize the vessel is a forthright act which you don't normally see unless you've got very serious grounds for doing that and that will create a lot of tension with the country which has seized the vessel, and the country which holds its flag which is the Cook Islands.
"So the Cook Islands has now ended up in the middle of a very large international dispute, but at the same time New Zealand is trying to distance itself form the Cook Islands because we've got a very clear position that we support the Ukraine and sanctions against Russia."
In November, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced new chemical weapons and missiles sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
New Zealand joined Australia in the 'Call to Action' statement on sanctions-evading 'shadow fleet' activities.
In attempting to bypass sanctions, shadow fleet vessels had a pattern of ignoring maritime safety and environmental rules, avoiding insurance costs, and engaging in other unlawful actions, the nations said.
"The 'shadow fleet' presents significant threats to all countries," a statement issued by MFAT at the time said.
Incident under investigation
Finnish investigators believe the seized ship may have caused the damage by dragging its anchor along the seabed.
Video and photos published on Friday by the Finnish daily Ilta-Sanomat showed the Eagle S with a single anchor chain stretching into the sea from its starboard side, while the hole where the port side anchor chain would normally be was empty.
Finnish police told Reuters they were investigating the Eagle S on suspicion of "aggravated criminal mischief", and that crew members had been questioned.
On Friday local time, Finland said it had asked the transatlantic military alliance NATO for support.
"We have agreed with Estonia, and we have also communicated to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, that our wish is to have a stronger NATO presence," Finnish President Alexander Stubb told a news conference.
Rutte posted on the social media platform X that "NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea", without elaborating. A NATO official declined to provide further detail.
United Arab Emirates-based Caravella LLC FZ, which according to MarineTraffic data owns the Eagle S, did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
India's Peninsular Maritime, which according to MarineTraffic acts as technical manager for the ship, was not immediately available for comment to Reuters.
- RNZ/Reuters
