Swedish authorities are currently investigating a cargo ship in the Baltic Sea, which they suspect is a stateless vessel.
The vessel, named Caffa, was sailing in Swedish territorial waters on Friday under a Guinean flag when it raised suspicions among officials, according to Swedish police.
The Swedish Coast Guard subsequently boarded the ship to conduct a search and interviews, with particular concerns about its seaworthiness. Further information regarding the Caffa remains undisclosed at this time.
Sweden last year said it would step up insurance checks on foreign ships in a move aimed at tightening controls on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet ” of aging ships. Russia uses its shadow fleet to transport oil and gas or to carry stolen Ukrainian grain. The average age of the vessels is around 18 years, meaning they’re near the end of their life span and are more vulnerable to accidents, especially if they’re not well-maintained.
The government in Stockholm last year tasked the Coast Guard and the Swedish Maritime Administration with collecting insurance information not just from ships that call at Swedish ports, but also those that pass through the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
Authorities have not said whether they believe the Caffa is part of the shadow fleet.
Last month the UK threatened to seize a Russia-linked oil tanker in an escalation of tensions between the two countries over shadow fleets.
Military options to capture a rogue ship had been identified in discussions involving Nato allies, British defence sources told The Guardian.
The news comes weeks after the UK supported a US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic.
British armed forces supported the capture of the Marinera, a vessel initially linked to Venezuela and previously known as Bella-1, as it travelled north and eastwards through the waters between Iceland and Scotland.
Days later, a defence source confirmed to The Times that options to seize further vessels were being considered, but no timeframe was given for potential missions at the time. The Special Boats Service (SBS) would likely lead the raids, it was suggested at the time.
