Antwerp Mystery: Did a Ship Leave Russia with Explosives?

An investigation has been launched by the Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office after military intelligence concluded that an unidentified object was “probably” attached to the hull of an LNG carrier when it departed the Port of Antwerp in mid-May — directly contradicting Belgium’s earlier official position. The case, first reported by RTBF, sits at the volatile intersection of the Russia-Ukraine war, maritime security, and Europe’s struggle to police Moscow’s shadow fleet.

The Ship and Its Journey

The Arrhenius, a Liberian-flagged LPG/LNG carrier managed by a UAE-based firm, departed the Russian port of Ust-Luga on May 6, 2026, carrying a cargo of liquefied natural gas. It sailed to Antwerp, where it waited roughly 36 hours at the Steenbank anchorage in Dutch waters due to a dockworker strike before docking. The vessel departed Antwerp on May 16 and arrived back at Ust-Luga on May 20.

Russia’s Explosive Allegation

On May 25, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that divers conducting a hull inspection at Ust-Luga had discovered two magnetic limpet mines attached near the engine room, each containing approximately 7 kilograms of plastic explosive. According to the Belga News Agency, the FSB claimed the mines were “presumably manufactured in a NATO country” and said it had “foiled a terrorist attack.” Russia insisted it was “absolutely out of the question” that the mines could have been planted in its own waters.

Belgium’s Initial Dismissal

Belgian authorities swiftly rejected the narrative. On May 28, the Foreign Affairs ministry stated that available images showed “on the contrary that the ship left Antwerp without such an element being visible.” Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot called the Russian claims “hardly credible,” telling The Brussels Times that “there is nothing to demonstrate a connection between the port of Antwerp and the alleged presence of the so-called device on the ship.”

The Intelligence Bombshell

But the story took a dramatic turn when RTBF obtained a classified analysis note from Belgium’s military intelligence service, the SGRS (Service Général du Renseignement et de la Sécurité). Dated June 10, the note concluded that an object was “probably” fixed to the Arrhenius when it left Antwerp. The SGRS stated it could not confirm the object was explosives, but noted that its location on the hull matched between images taken in Antwerp and those taken near Ust-Luga. Crucially, the SGRS assessed that “given the proximity of the object to the propeller, it is very unlikely that it was placed during the navigation of the ship.”

The ship had only two periods of immobilization during its voyage: at the Steenbank anchorage in Dutch waters and at the Port of Antwerp itself. The SGRS did not assess where the object might have been placed.

A Pattern of Shadow Fleet Attacks

The Arrhenius incident does not exist in isolation. According to the SGRS analysis, at least 18 ships linked to Russia’s shadow fleet have been affected by explosions since December 24, 2024. A France 24 investigation documented six tanker explosions in seven months, with vessels suffering multiple blasts near their engine rooms. The LNG carrier Eco Wizard followed a near-identical route — Netherlands anchorage to Antwerp to Ust-Luga — before suffering two explosions at the Russian port in July 2025.

Maritime security firms have assessed these attacks as bearing the hallmarks of state-sponsored sabotage. Ambrey described the operations as demonstrating “military-grade sophistication,” while Dryad Global noted that the attacks were “potentially involving state-sponsored actors or proxy groups amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.” Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.

What Happens Next?

The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed to RTBF that “an investigation is ongoing” but declined further comment. The core questions remain unanswered: What exactly was the object? Who placed it? And why did Belgium’s initial assessment differ so sharply from the SGRS’s later conclusion?

The discrepancy between the initial denial and the intelligence finding may be explained by methodology — early assessments were based on rapid reviews of screenshots, while the SGRS conducted a detailed examination of full video sequences by multiple imaging and navigation experts.

If sabotage did occur in Antwerp, the implications are profound. It would mean that an ally of Belgium conducted a covert operation in one of Europe’s most strategically vital ports — a breach of security with serious diplomatic consequences. If, on the other hand, the object was Russian disinformation, it would represent a sophisticated operation to frame NATO and undermine confidence in Belgian port security.

For now, the Arrhenius remains anchored off Ust-Luga, its crew aboard, as investigators on both sides of Europe search for answers that could reshape the shadow fleet conflict.