SpaceKnow, a company that analyzes satellite data, reported the presence of two unidentified ships near the site of the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion in the Baltic Sea in September 2022. Notably, these ships turned off their transponders, a rare and suspicious action in such a heavily trafficked area.
The mystery of the "dark ships"
“We call large ships that don't broadcast their location dark ships,” explains Jerry Javornicky, CEO of SpaceKnow.
“The switching off of the transponders suggests an attempt to avoid detection, which raises serious questions about their purpose in being in the area,” he added.
Transponders are important safety tools required by international law for ships of a certain size. They transmit information such as the ship's name, location, course and speed. In the Baltic Sea, which is home to some of the busiest commercial traffic in the world, a ship operating without a transponder is not only unusual but also extremely suspicious.
Suspicious behavior raises many questions
According to maritime security experts, transponder switching is often linked to illegal activities such as illegal fishing, smuggling or human trafficking.
Otto Tabuns, director of the Baltic Sea Security Foundation, highlighted this anomaly: “In the Baltic Sea, it is very rare for ships to turn off their transponders, unless they are engaged in secret operations, possibly military or other covert missions.”
The discovery adds to the mystery surrounding the Nord Stream pipeline explosion, which has severely disrupted Russian gas supplies to Europe. Although NATO has officially called it an act of sabotage, the identity of the perpetrator remains unclear.
NATO involved and investigations ongoing
SpaceKnow shared its findings with NATO, but the organization has yet to publicly comment on the data. Multiple investigations are underway to determine the cause of the explosions, while Russia and Western nations continue to blame each other.
Moscow has said the blast was the result of a secret British operation, but London has strongly denied the accusation.
Meanwhile, NATO has maintained that the destruction of the pipelines was an act of deliberate sabotage, but has not yet said who was behind it. New information about these shadowy ships could play a key role in solving the mystery surrounding the incident.
The discovery underscores the importance of maritime transparency and security, especially in strategically important areas like the Baltic Sea. With global shipping lanes closely monitored, actions like turning off transponders are an immediate red flag.
As investigations continue, the appearance of these mysterious vessels raises pressing questions about their identity, purpose, and role, if any, in one of the most notable recent incidents of sabotage.
