AMSTERDAM - A Russian ship, Eagle S, has come under suspicion for conducting espionage activities off the Dutch coast, north of the Wadden Islands. On November 24, 2023, the vessel hovered for two hours at minimal speed above the Atlantic Crossing 1 cable, a critical undersea telecommunications link between Europe and the United States, as reported by NRC.
Analysis of AIS (Automatic Identification System) signals revealed the Eagle S traveled at speeds of two to three knots above the Atlantic Crossing 1 cable, which handles transatlantic voice and data traffic involving the U.S., U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands. The ship resumed normal speed after two hours and headed toward Russia.
The Atlantic Crossing 1 cable is classified by the U.S. State Department as part of the Netherlands' “critical infrastructure,” according to internal documents released by WikiLeaks. "This is without a doubt suspicious," said Rob de Wijk, a professor of international relations at Leiden University and founder of The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS), to NRC.
The Eagle S, officially an oil tanker, is part of a covert fleet known as the Russian "shadow fleet," which bypasses Western sanctions to transport Russian oil. According to the Estonian intelligence service, Russia has increasingly repurposed civilian ships for espionage purposes since 2019. Some vessels in this fleet are equipped with unusual antennas and masts for intelligence operations, as reported by the Swedish navy.
The Eagle S operates under the Cook Islands flag and is owned by an anonymous company registered in Dubai's Meydan Hotel, complicating tracking efforts.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has also raised concerns, calling the activities of this shadow fleet “a pattern of deliberate and coordinated actions” aimed at damaging Europe's digital and energy infrastructure.
Ship news outlet Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported last month that the Eagle S has been retrofitted with advanced communication equipment, turning it into a de facto spy vessel. A whistleblower who provided maritime services to the ship claimed “large cases with numerous laptops” were loaded aboard, capable of monitoring NATO vessels and aircraft. The source also alleged the ship deployed “sensor-like equipment” in the North Sea near the English Channel, NRC reports.
In the past year, undersea cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged on three separate occasions, prompting NATO to increase its presence in the region. On Christmas Day 2024, the Eagle S allegedly damaged a cable connecting Finland and Estonia.
Dutch Maritime Vulnerabilities
Monitoring espionage conducted by vessels such as the Eagle S is a significant challenge, said Patrick Bolder, a defense expert with HCSS. "There is so much shipping traffic off the Dutch coast that it is difficult to determine which vessels need to be watched closely," he said.
Bolder stressed the need for forensic investigations north of the Wadden Islands, where the Eagle S hovered above the Atlantic Crossing 1 cable, to determine whether attempts were made to damage the cable or install surveillance devices.
Dutch naval and intelligence agencies are better equipped to monitor dedicated Russian research vessels but struggle with oil tankers disguised as civilian ships. The Netherlands' marine and wind energy infrastructure is particularly vulnerable because most of it is located outside territorial waters, where Dutch jurisdiction is limited.
"Wind turbines, cables, and transformer stations at sea were designed without considering security risks, making them highly vulnerable to hybrid warfare," said De Wijk. He warned that any sabotage in the North Sea could carry significant repercussions, given the area's strategic importance.
European waters have seen a surge in espionage and sabotage activities linked to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to De Wijk, hybrid attacks on European infrastructure have increased since Ukraine received U.S. and U.K. weaponry capable of striking deep into Russian territory.
In response to escalating threats, the Dutch navy dispatched the Zr.Ms. Tromp last weekend to lead a NATO fleet tasked with securing critical infrastructure in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Atlantic Ocean.
Despite the growing risks, legal limitations hinder Dutch naval action. "Our hands are tied unless a ship is caught red-handed sabotaging infrastructure," said De Wijk, citing the international legal principle of mare liberum, which ensures free access to the seas.
The Dutch Coast Guard and navy were unavailable for comment, citing holiday schedules. The Finnish lawyer representing the Dubai-based owner of the Eagle S, Herman Ljundberg, stated he had no knowledge of the vessel's activities in Dutch waters. He declined to answer further questions about who might have such knowledge, according to NRC.
