The German Federal Fiscal Court has ruled that customs authorities may not currently seize and utilize the “Eventin” oil tanker. The court expressed doubts about the legality of the measure, specifically questioning whether EU sanctions apply when a ship drifts into EU waters due to being unmaneuverable and without intent. International law considerations, including the right to a port of refuge, were also emphasized. The owner, a firm based in the Marshall Islands, argued that the vessel never intended to transport sanctioned oil products into the European Union. The “Eventin,” which has been off the coast of Rügen for nearly a year and is considered part of the Russian “shadow fleet,” was the subject of this preliminary legal protection procedure. A main legal proceeding regarding the ship’s fate could potentially follow.

Source: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/bundesfinanzhof-zoll-darf-oeltanker-vorerst-nicht-einziehen-100.html