Poland Deploys Heweliusz to Monitor Russian Shadow Fleet

The Polish Navy has deployed the hydrographic vessel Heweliusz to monitor the movements of a Russian “shadow fleet.”

According to Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz the vessel will monitor tankers near critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

On May 20, Polish authorities detected a tanker believed to be part of the Russian shadow fleet maneuvering near underwater power cables between Poland and Sweden.

The vessel was located outside Poland’s exclusive economic zone.

Later that evening, a Polish naval aviation patrol aircraft was dispatched to the area.

The aircraft crew established radio contact with the tanker and issued a warning that the vessel was being monitored. The tanker subsequently left the area and sailed toward a Russian port.

On May 21, Poland’s Maritime Operations Center sent the Heweliusz to the incident site to inspect the area for potential threats to critical maritime infrastructure.

The Heweliusz, a Project 874 hydrographic vessel, was built at the Gdansk Shipyard. It was launched on September 11, 1981, and entered service with the Polish Navy on November 27, 1982.

The ship is equipped with modern hydrographic systems, including the HOMAR computer system, and carries two hydrographic boats.

The situation in the Baltic Sea

Recently, Russian authorities detained the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Green Admire, which was sailing through Russian territorial waters on a pre-agreed route.

According to the Estonian Department of Transport, the Green Admire had departed the Estonian port of Sillamäe and was en route to Rotterdam with a cargo of shale oil.

The vessel, owned by Greece-based Aegean Shipping, was using a commonly approved sea corridor through Russian waters, considered safer for large vessels than the shallow waters of Estonia’s coastline.

This route has long been agreed upon by Estonia, Russia, and Finland to facilitate safe passage for commercial shipping.