Swedish Forces Seize Russian-Linked Oil Tanker
The Swedish Coast Guard and police boarded and detained the oil tanker Jin Hui, which was sailing under a Syrian flag, off the country’s coast on Sunday. The vessel, measuring 182 meters in length, had been tracked by Swedish authorities for several days after it left Turkey bound for the Baltic Sea.
According to the Coast Guard, the boarding took place during the morning when the ship appeared to be traveling without cargo towards the Baltic. Authorities noted that the tanker was included on various international sanctions lists, including those of the European Union and the United Kingdom, and that there were indications that the Syrian flag it flew was fake.
Swedish Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin tweeted that the Jin Hui is “yet another ship suspected to be part of Russia’s phantom fleet.”
The so-called “phantom fleet” refers to a network of hundreds of old oil tankers with unclear ownership and insurance that do not recognize Western market standards. Moscow has created this network since Western powers imposed sanctions on energy exports after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. These ships operate under temporary flags, frequently change names, and often disable tracking systems to avoid inspections.
The Baltic Sea has become a key area of tension between NATO countries and Russia’s shadow fleet.
Sanctions-Linked Vessel
The Jin Hui is the fifth vessel of its kind to be detained by Swedish authorities, with three specifically targeting issues related to flag state. The ship was being tracked for several days before the boarding took place, during which French authorities took action after the crew failed to provide documentation about the ship’s nationality and refused to comply with orders.
Russian-Linked Fleet
The phantom fleet is a network of old oil tankers with unclear ownership and insurance that do not recognize Western market standards. Moscow has created this network since Western powers imposed sanctions on energy exports after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. These ships operate under temporary flags, frequently change names, and often disable tracking systems to avoid inspections.
Baltic Sea Tensions
The Baltic Sea has become a key area of tension between NATO countries and Russia’s shadow fleet. The region is critical for energy exports, and the presence of these sanctioned vessels raises concerns about potential illegal activities and circumvention of international sanctions.
Original Article: Η Σουηδία κατάσχεσε πλοίο που συνδέεται με τον ρωσικό σκιώδη στόλο — Newsbomb (Greek) | View English Translation