Main image: Poland is taking precautions against possible acts of sabotage by the Russian "shadow fleet" in the Baltic Sea (illustrative photo) / Stefan Sauer / PAP / DPA.
The maritime authority in Gdynia has issued an order to establish a secured zone along the route of the SwePol Link submarine power cable connecting Poland and Sweden, reports RMF 24.
The measure is aimed at protecting a strategically important facility amid growing threats in the region.
The security zone will run through Poland’s territorial waters along the pipeline’s route. The document includes exact coordinates. Maciej Wapiński, a representative of the company Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne, stated that the width of the protected corridor will be 250 meters. It was this company that initiated the enhanced security for the site.
According to Wapiński, within the new zone, fishing, water sports, diving, anchoring, and any underwater activities will be prohibited without special permission from the Polish energy company.
SwePol Link is a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power line that has been in operation for 25 years. It stretches 254 kilometers between Poland and Sweden, providing a transmission capacity of 600 megawatts at a voltage of 450 kilovolts.
The establishment of the security zone is a response to the threat of underwater sabotage and attempts to interfere with energy infrastructure by the Russian fleet, which operates in defiance of sanctions and is known as the "shadow fleet."
