EU-Sanctioned Tanker Released by Sweden Amid Lack of Evidence
Swedish authorities have released a tanker sanctioned by the European Union that had been boarded and detained on suspicion of causing an oil spill in the Baltic Sea. The decision came after investigators failed to find sufficient evidence linking the Flora 1 tanker to the 12-kilometer-long spill discovered Thursday.
The Swedish Coast Guard, which had initially stopped the vessel and its 24-member crew on Friday, established that Cameroon had confirmed the Flora 1 was sailing under that country’s flag. This information was not clear when the vessel was first detained, according to the coast guard.
EU Sanctions Target “Shadow Fleet” of Russian Oil Carriers
The Flora 1 was put on the EU’s list of sanctioned vessels for carrying Russian oil while practicing irregular and high-risk shipping practices. The sanctions are aimed at the “shadow fleet” that emerged in response to a price cap on Russian oil imposed by the Group of Seven democracies to limit the revenues that fund Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The shadow fleet is made up of aging tankers with ownership and insurance based in countries that are not observing the price cap. The age of the vessels and their lack of Western insurance has raised safety concerns about oil spills and who would get the cleanup bill.
Vessel’s History Raises Questions About Safety and Transparency
The Flora 1 was owned by a Hong Kong company as of late 2025 and has also been sanctioned by the UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia, according to the Ukrainian government. It has changed its name six times and its flag country nine times. The vessel has been observed turning off its automatic tracking system, a step that hides a vessel’s location, and engaging in ship-to-ship transfers, which can be a way to disguise the origins of an oil cargo.
Sanctions forbid any transactions involving the named vessels, highlighting concerns about the safety and transparency of these aging tankers.
Original Article: Sweden releases sanctioned tanker due to lack of evidence it caused oil spill — Abcnews