Suspicion regarding the tanker allegedly has not been confirmed, as there were supposedly no grounds to detain it
On April 5, Sweden released the tanker from the Russian “shadow fleet,” which had been detained on April 3 on suspicion of causing an oil spill in the Baltic Sea. Allegedly, no evidence was found.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the Independent.
Also read: Britain to begin intercepting tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet
It is noted that there was allegedly no evidence that the sanctioned tanker Flora 1, detained by the Swedish Coast Guard, was responsible for creating a 12-kilometer
At the same time, Cameroon, the flag of which was used by the tanker, unexpectedly confirmed that the vessel is indeed registered in its maritime registries. Thus, even on suspicion of “false flag” operations, it was impossible to detain the tanker further.
The tanker Flora 1 is on the list of vessels under European Union sanctions for transporting Russian oil and engaging in “irregular and high-risk shipping practices.”
“Dangerous practices may include turning off the automatic tracking system, which transmits the vessel’s location to other ships,” the publication explained.
The Ukrainian government identified Flora 1 as the property of a Hong Kong company. The vessel is on the sanctions lists not only of the EU but also has restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia.
“It has been noted that the vessel turns off its automatic tracking system, concealing its location, and conducts ship-to-ship transfers, which may be a way to hide the origin of the oil cargo,” the publication added.
Recall that on the morning of April 3, the Swedish Coast Guard detained the sanctioned tanker “Flora 1,” which is suspected of causing an oil spill in the Baltic Sea. The tanker, with 24 people on board, was placed in a berth near the city of Ystad.
Currently, the European Union is discussing tightening sanctions against vessels that transport Russian oil in violation of restrictions, with ports accepting such tankers potentially facing repercussions. The United Kingdom, for its part, announced that it would begin intercepting “shadow fleet” tankers in its waters.
