 (1).png){kind=spacer}
1 day ago
1
The Koala ship
Aleksandr Drozdenko / Telegram
An explosion Sunday on an oil tanker at a port in northwest Russia forced the crew to evacuate and was being investigated, the country's Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport (Rosmorrechflot) said.
The Rosmorrechflot wrote on Telegram that "an explosion took place in the engine room" of the Koala ship in Ust-Luga port west of St. Petersburg on Sunday morning.
It said the crew fled the vessel, but the blast did not cause "a spill of the cargo or a leak of oil products," and there was no risk of the ship sinking.
"The appropriate agencies are investigating the incident," it said, and the ship's condition would be inspected.
Ship tracking site Vesselfinder showed that the Koala, built in 2023 and flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag, arrived at Ust-Luga on Thursday.
Russia's Baza Telegram channel wrote that the ship is carrying 130,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil.
Two tankers carrying oil were wrecked in the Black Sea in December, causing a massive spill of fuel that is still washing up ashore.
The United States in January designated more than 180 Russian ships it assesses to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet" exporting crude oil despite Western sanctions. The Koala is not on this list.
Ukraine's security services in January claimed to have used drones to strike a fuel terminal at Ust-Luga, saying that "through it, Russia sells oil and gas with the help of the 'shadow fleet."
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
