The chemical tanker Flora 1, suspected of belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” has been released and is entitled to leave Swedish waters after investigators failed to prove environmental violations, the Swedish Coast Guard announced on Sunday, April 5.
The vessel had been detained since Friday morning following the discovery of a 12-kilometer (8-mile) mineral oil spill in Sweden’s economic zone, east of Gotland. While the Swedish Coast Guard and police boarded the tanker to conduct a preliminary investigation, the Swedish Prosecution Authority concluded that there is no legal basis to continue the case.
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“The suspicions do not lead to a prosecution,” said Daniel Stenling, Deputy Head of the Swedish Coast Guard’s Operations Department. However, he emphasized that the intervention was necessary to maintain maritime safety.
A secondary investigation into the ship’s seaworthiness was also closed after Cameroon confirmed that the vessel is officially registered in its maritime register. Swedish authorities had initially raised concerns over the ship’s “unclear flag state,” noting that the tanker had changed its name and flag multiple times in recent years.
“The Swedish Coast Guard is critical of the lack of clarity regarding the ship’s flag. This is not how shipping is supposed to work,” Stenling stated, adding that the flag displayed should match easily verifiable information.
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