Estonia detains Russia-bound container ship Baltic Spirit on suspicion of smuggling

At approximately 5 p.m. local time on Feb. 3, Estonia detained the container ship Baltic Spirit (IMO: 9765873) while it was anchored at a fueling site near the island of Naissaar, near Tallinn. The vessel, sailing under the flag of the Bahamas, was traveling from Ecuador to St. Petersburg and was intercepted on suspicion of smuggling, according to a report by local outlet ERR.

Data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence reviewed by The Insider showed the ship remained in the same location for about 15 hours before entering the port of Muuga around 1 p.m. on Feb. 4.

Although the Baltic Spirit was headed to Russia, it does not belong to the so-called “shadow fleet,” a group of vessels Moscow uses to circumvent the price cap on Russian oil. Estonian authorities said the vessel is suspected of smuggling goods from Ecuador, not of violating sanctions. It was not immediately clear what investigators were looking for on board, though unconfirmed reports suggested that the suspected contraband was narcotics.

ERR reported that all crew members were Russian citizens and that they did not resist the efforts of the Estonian authorities.

The ship’s registered owner is Coolwind Navigation Corp. In addition to the Bahamas-flagged Baltic Spirit, the company also owns two container ships that sail under the Panamanian flag. The vessel detained by Estonia frequently travels along routes running between Russia and Latin America. The operator of the container ship is Cool Carriers Ltd., a company registered in Cyprus.

A representative of Cool Carriers told The Insider that the Estonian authorities had not contacted the owners regarding the ship’s detention, and they remain unaware of the reason for the inspection. They said that Baltic Spirit typically transports fruit from Latin America to various destinations in Europe, and in this case, the vessel was carrying bananas to Saint Petersburg.

A source close to the company also suggested to The Insider that the detention is connected to the vessel’s destination — Russia — characterizing the incident as a result of “geopolitical tension” between Tallinn and Moscow. The source also confirmed that the company is unaware of any suspicions related to possible drug smuggling.

Another industry source interviewed by the editorial team also noted that shipping companies have no way of controlling contraband goods:

“The cargo owner isn't breaking any laws, they're just dealing with bananas, like Cool Carriers. What happens is that law enforcement at the loading point can't keep up with security, and sometimes the cartel slips something into the cargo of shipping companies that transport goods from Latin America.

There are shipping companies that have no firearms and no Interpol intelligence — they are simply doing their business.

There are cartels that have significantly more money and the ability to intimidate and bribe teams that are constantly maneuvering. From time to time, something happens.»

Despite the heightened level of geopolitical tension that has prevailed ever since Moscow’s decision to launch its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, the Baltic Spirit is the first cargo ship in the Cool Carriers fleet that has been singled out for such an inspection.