Fourteen European nations located in the North Atlantic have called upon the international maritime community for stricter compliance with maritime safety standards.
The open letter outlines alarming trends of the russian federation’s interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), manipulation of AIS transponder signals, and the increasing number of sub-standard ships belonging to the “shadow fleet”. The appeal was signed by representatives from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
russia’s actions in the Baltic Sea render impossible the normal functioning of vessel traffic services, search and rescue operations, and rapid emergency response. Systematic and deliberate interference with satellite navigation and shore-to-ship communication poses a serious threat to maritime safety, security, and protection of marine environment. Stakeholders must cooperate to implement countermeasures and mitigation methods.
Earlier, in June 2025, the competent authorities of Estonia and Finland officially notified the International Maritime Organization of this issue via IMO Circular Letter No. 5037.
The undersigned also emphasised the need for unconditional compliance with international maritime law when exercising freedom of navigation in the region, including transit passage through international straits such as the Oresund, Great Belt, and the Strait of Dover. This relates not only to a range of requirements of the SOLAS, MARPOL, and COLREG Conventions, but also Article 92 of the UNCLOS, which prohibits ships from sailing under the flags of two or more states, using them according to convenience.
After the seizure of the “dark” tanker GRINCH by the French Navy in the Mediterranean Sea last week, the coastal states of the North and Baltic Seas are signalling their readiness to further dissuade the unlawful activities of russia in European waters by resorting to enforcement measures.
The Shipping Administration is confident that the decisive actions of partners will significantly complicate the conduct of russia’s aggression against Ukraine, as long as seaborne exports of oil and other energy resources through Baltic ports remain a key source to finance the war.
Please note that the Baltic Sea and the adjacent maritime space of the Euro-Atlantic region are areas to which the national interests of Ukraine at sea extend, in accordance with the Maritime Security Strategy of Ukraine, approved by Decree of the President of Ukraine dated 17 July 2024 No. 468/2024.
The text of the open letter is available at The Growing Risks to Maritime Safety.