Panama tanker 'Mulan' raises alarm with strange maneuvers at Norwegian coast
The Norwegian Coast Guard is monitoring the "strange behavior" of the Panama-registered tanker "Mulan," reported the Norwegian press on Saturday. Beneath the North Sea, where the vessel has been for several days, cables and gas pipelines connect Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
Official data indicates that "Mulan" is en route from Ura Bay on the Russian Kola Peninsula, where the Russian Northern Fleet base is located, to Egypt. However, since December 26, it has not left the North Sea and the Skagerrak Strait.
The ship's captain initially explained that he was waiting for better weather. Since then, according to satellite data, the ship has been zigzagging above the undersea pipelines and cables connecting Norway, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. On Saturday, it was once again near Stavanger.
There are many pipelines and energy and fiber-optic connections in the North Sea. We have increased vigilance regarding the actions of ships, sharing our data with the Norwegian Armed Forces, the police, and other relevant services,
Arve Dimmen from the Norwegian Border Guard told the "Dagbladet" newspaper.
The Panama-registered "Mulan" remains outside Norway's territorial waters and is constantly monitored by border guards. The operational command of the Norwegian Armed Forces confirmed that naval ships and aircraft would continue monitoring the suspicious vessel until it significantly distances itself from the Norwegian coast.
Finns detained a Russian tanker
Recently, a Russian tanker was detained by Finnish authorities. It involves the ship Eagle S, which belongs to the "shadow fleet" and was allegedly transporting espionage equipment. The vessel was said to have damaged a cable in the Gulf of Finland.
According to "Lloyd's List," the ship was equipped with gear for spying on NATO ships and aircraft. This information comes from an anonymous source who worked on the ship during the summer.
