Port of Gdynia: tanker "Khatanga" ready to depart port

Rosyjski zbiornikowiec Khatanga / fot. Wikimedia Commons

- The tanker "Khatanga" is fully prepared for departure. All technical and environmental operations have been completed, and all fuel-related liquids on board have been entirely removed. The vessel has been classified as waste in accordance with applicable European Union regulations - said Kalina Gierblińska, spokesperson for the Port of Gdynia Authority.

She noted that the procedure for towing the vessel and transporting it to a certified scrapping yard in Denmark is - a multi-stage process requiring international cooperation -.

- The Port of Gdynia is currently awaiting the necessary documentation from its Danish counterpart, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Miljostyrelsen), which operates under the Danish Ministry of Environment. Without these documents, the operation to move the vessel cannot begin - Kalina Gierblińska added.

According to an ordinance issued by the Maritime Office in Gdynia on February 5th this year, the deadline for removing the vessel was set for Monday, May 5th.

- Both the Port of Gdynia and the Maritime Office in Gdynia remain fully operationally prepared. The delay is solely due to the pending documentation from the Danish side. According to the institutions involved, the documents will be delivered to the Polish side as soon as possible - the port representative stated.

She also emphasized that all actions are being conducted in close cooperation and full agreement between the Port of Gdynia Authority and the Maritime Office in Gdynia.

According to the Gdynia city government website, the "Khatanga" tanker is over 150 meters long, 26 meters wide, and weighs more than 15,000 tons. It was used to transport crude oil and its derivatives. The vessel was detained in 2017 after failing a technical inspection. Though initially planned for repairs and departure, this never materialized.

In 2020, the vessel’s owner, Murmansk Shipping Company, declared bankruptcy, leaving "Khatanga" abandoned at the port. Over the years, the vessel’s technical condition deteriorated significantly.

In early February, the Ministry of Infrastructure stated via social media that, based on a decision by the Director of the Maritime Office in Gdynia, the port had been ordered to remove the Russian ship "Khatanga" due to its long-term presence and risk to navigation safety, having been withdrawn from service.

Magdalena Kierzkowska, spokesperson for the Maritime Office in Gdynia, then confirmed that the director had issued a directive to the Port Authority for the vessel’s removal.

She noted that these actions aim to resolve the issue of a vessel that, after years in Gdynia with unclear and shifting ownership status, is unfit for independent sailing. The ship is unmanned, unpowered, and in its current state poses a potential threat to port infrastructure.

At that time, a port representative also stated that - ZMPG will seek to sell the vessel to recover at least part of the costs incurred due to the unpaid berthing fees by the Russian owner -. The compensation for the berthing period is estimated at approximately PLN 13 million.

The Ministry of Infrastructure has also announced that ZMPG will seek to recover the full cost of the vessel’s stay in port from the Russian operator.

Media reports stated that the Russian tanker broke free from its moorings on two occasions, posing a risk to nearby ships.