Spy equipment found on Russian “shadow fleet” tanker detained in Finland after undersea cable damage

Cover photo: Finnish coast guard with the Eagle S tanker shown in the background after a suspected undersea cable sabotage incident. Source: Finnish Border Guard / X

Spy equipment used for monitoring NATO naval and aircraft activities was reportedly discovered on the tanker Eagle S, according to a report by the British shipping journal Lloyd's List, citing a source with direct involvement with the vessel. The ship, suspected of having ties to Russia, was recently detained by Finnish authorities.

According to the source, the sophisticated equipment aboard the Eagle S was abnormal for a commercial vessel, as it consumed significant amounts of power from the ship’s generator, causing frequent power outages.

Similar equipment was reportedly found on another tanker, the Honduras-flagged Swiftsea Rider, which is owned by the same group as the Cook Islands-flagged Eagle S. The Swiftsea Rider is under UK sanctions.

According to Lloyd's List, both ships are part of Russia's “shadow fleet” — a network of tankers tied to Russia through opaque ownership structures and engaged in activities that violate Western sanctions.

The source claimed that surveillance and recording equipment were brought aboard the Eagle S in “huge portable suitcases,” along with “many laptops” that had Turkish and Russian keyboards, during port calls in Russia and Turkey. A non-crew member was also reportedly present on the ship during its voyage.

Finnish Coast Guard officials boarded the Eagle S as part of an investigation into potential sabotage related to the Dec. 25 damage to the Estlink 2 energy cable. The cable, which lies on the Baltic Sea floor, connects Finland and Estonia. Finnish police allege that the tanker slowed down and dragged its anchor around the cable, causing the damage. The following day, three additional undersea cables linking Finland and Estonia were also reported damaged.

An anonymous source shared over 60 confidential documents about the Eagle S with Lloyd’s List in June, including a vetting report detailing numerous safety violations identified during an inspection conducted while the tanker was anchored in Danish waters that same month.