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Tanker intercepted in German EEZ during illegal waste disposal
On July 5, 2026, the patrol boat ''Bad Düben' of the German Federal Police intercepted the 'Twist', enroute from Vasilikos to Amsterdam, during illegal waste disposal within the German Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea. The tanker, which had previously transited the Kiel Canal, had drawn the attention of the operations center due to erratic maneuvering near critical maritime infrastructure. Consequently, the patrol vessel was dispatched to conduct an inspection. A drone was launched from the 'Bad Düben' to monitor the tanker and its track from the air. Initially, nothing unusual was detected in the surrounding waters. However, while flying over the vessel, which was drifting at the time, the drone recorded the crew emptying the contents of several garbage bags overboard. The tanker's crew was questioned via marine radio and initially claimed that neither tank washings nor other substances had been discharged into the sea. After being confronted with the drone footage, the captain reported that a crew member had apparently disposed of shredded food waste. The captain was informed that this constituted a violation of Annex V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Additionally, the storage of further waste on the upper deck, which was also visible in the drone footage, was prohibited too. The crew was issued a warning and ordered to properly stow the remaining waste located on the upper deck. Finally, an IMO report was prepared for the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) for further legal proceedings. The tanker berthed at EVOS Amsterdam on July 6. Report with photo: https://www.presseportal.de/blaulicht/pm/70260/6308809
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