Coast guard boarded the Jin Hui near Trelleborg after detecting flag irregularities, triggering inspections and a criminal probe over possible sanctions evasion.
In the Baltic Sea, Sweden detained the tanker Jin Hui, which, according to available information, was sailing under the Syrian flag and could be linked to Russia’s shadow fleet, and is also listed on EU sanctions lists.
According to the coast guard, the crew and police boarded the vessel, which was located in Swedish territorial waters near Trelleborg.
The coast guard suspects that the vessel is sailing under a false flag, and since a number of violations regarding the flag’s status have been detected, it does not meet the requirements for seaworthiness set out in international rules and conventions.
– a Coast Guard spokesperson
Sanctions context and ties to the shadow fleet
The vessel appears on numerous EU and UK sanctions lists, significantly restricting its future activities.
This year, Sweden has already detained five ships for various violations, including oil spills and sailing under a foreign flag, and has also opened criminal investigations against some crew members.
Earlier, Sweden’s Prosecutor’s Office confiscated the dry cargo ship Caffa near the town of Trelleborg during a voyage to Saint Petersburg.
Further investigations will continue in light of sanctions regulations and the risks of transporting goods under a foreign flag, which again draws attention to oversight of the regional maritime fleet.