Khatanga Leaves Port of Gdynia - “We’re Removing Russian Scrap from Poland”

After nearly eight years moored and inactive, the Russian tanker Khatanga has finally left the Port of Gdynia and is en route to a certified scrapping facility in Esbjerg, Denmark. The prolonged presence of the vessel – detained in 2017 and later abandoned by its bankrupt Russian owner – had become both a legal and operational burden for Polish maritime authorities.

Kamil Kusier executive editor 20.06.2025, 07:07 Reading time: 2 min

Stern of tanker Khatanga Murmansk at quay with thick mooring rope in foreground — fot. Ministerstwo Infrastruktury

In brief

The Russian tanker Khatanga was taken out of the Port of Gdynia on the evening of 19 June and sent for scrapping in Esbjerg, Denmark, after almost eight years of lay-up. The ship was detained in 2017 following a negative Port State Control inspection, and in 2020 its owner Murmansk Shipping Company declared bankruptcy. According to Port of Gdynia estimates, losses from the vessel's years of mooring may have reached PLN 15 million. Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Arkadiusz Marchewka stated that the safety of shipping and port infrastructure is a priority.

Poland’s Ministry of Infrastructure confirmed the move as part of a wider effort to eliminate derelict foreign vessels clogging port infrastructure.

- We’re removing Russian scrap from Poland! The ship Khatanga has been taken out of the Port of Gdynia and is headed for scrapping. We said we would remove Khatanga, and we did. For us, the priority is maintaining full operational control over key port infrastructure, said Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Arkadiusz Marchewka.

A Derelict No Longer

Khatanga was initially detained due to serious technical deficiencies found during a routine Port State Control inspection in 2017. The situation worsened after the Murmansk Shipping Company declared bankruptcy in 2020, leaving the ship without a legal representative or financial backing.

In late 2024 and early 2025, two incidents involving the vessel breaking moorings and drifting within the port raised red flags among Polish authorities. A risk assessment followed by involvement from national security agencies prompted formal administrative action.

In early 2025, the Maritime Office in Gdynia classified the vessel as hazardous marine waste under EU and international regulations, clearing the path for its forced removal.

Legal and Financial Implications

The Port of Gdynia estimates its financial losses related to the vessel at PLN 13–15 million (approx. EUR 3–3.5 million), primarily due to lost berthing revenues and ongoing maintenance. Legal claims have been filed against the liquidator of the defunct Russian shipping company.

The ship's removal was executed in cooperation with Danish authorities under the Basel Convention and EU waste transport rules. A certified recycling facility in Esbjerg will handle the environmentally compliant dismantling of the vessel.

Restoring Capacity

Port authorities expressed relief that the long-blocked berth is now cleared. The incident has sparked renewed calls in Poland for stronger mechanisms to address abandoned foreign vessels in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Khatanga’s departure marks the end of one of the longest-running deadlocks in Polish port management in recent memory — and serves as a case study in maritime policy, inter-agency coordination, and cross-border environmental compliance.

Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier