Estonian authorities have spoken with the owner of Kiwala from Mauritius. The owner is ready to cooperate. Currently, efforts are being made to eliminate the 40 deficiencies found on the ship. It is important to obtain insurance for the ship and determine under which country's flag it sails. The Transport Board is in contact with Djibouti, the former flag state of Kiwala. The owners may move the ship to another country's registry. It is still unclear when the ship will leave Estonian waters.
Kristjan Truu, Director of the Transport Board, said that the ship can only leave after a re-inspection. "Once all deficiencies have been eliminated, we will conduct a new inspection. Based on the results, we will release the ship," said Truu. Kiwala may need to replenish supplies, but the owner is responsible for this. This will not incur additional costs for Estonia. The ship is guarded by the Navy, but now the minehunter Admiral Cowan is there.
According to Truu, it is in no one's interest for Kiwala to sail away without permission. The concern is the ship's further journey. In the eastern part of the Baltic Sea, many vessels are waiting for access to Russian ports. Most of them are in poor condition and pose a threat to the environment.
Kerli Veski, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that checking the insurance of the shadow fleet is one way to protect the environment. Secondly, there is a need to increase monitoring. "We show our presence, monitor the ships, and ask what they are doing," said Veski. At the same time, navigational freedom must be guaranteed, which makes fighting the shadow fleet difficult.