Russian border guards detain cargo ship bound for Sillamäe

Russian border guards detained a Cyprus-flagged cargo ship bound for Sillamäe port, ERR reported. Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board confirmed the detention.

The ship, Västerbotten, is anchored in Russian waters, according to the vessel-tracking service Vesselfinder. Its route shows it passed through Russian territorial waters before being detained.

Russia, Estonia and Finland have an agreement allowing ships to use that route. It is considered safer for large vessels than navigating between shallows in Estonian waters.

In 2025, Russia detained the oil tanker Green Admire after it left Sillamäe port. It was the first similar incident. To prevent further cases, Estonia’s Transport Administration decided to route ships travelling to and from Sillamäe through Estonian territorial waters.