Sweden’s coast guard said on Saturday that a second crewmember had been arrested off a suspected false-flagged tanker, believed to be part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’, boarded in March, suspected of forging documents
On 12 March, Sweden’s coast guard also boarded the 228-metre tanker Sea Owl I off the city of Trelleborg in southern Sweden.
The Sea Owl was flying a Comoran flag, which the coast guard believed was phoney, and the captain was arrested, suspected of using a forged document.
“A new captain took over responsibility for the ship, and the ship’s documents for the new flag state were submitted to the Swedish Transport Agency. These documents are also suspected of being falsified,” the Swedish Coast Guard said in a statement.
“A second crewmember has been arrested, and a new preliminary investigation has been opened,” it added.
The Sea Owl I has also been looked at for possible ‘seaworthiness’ issues; the Coast Guard claimed that it was on the EU sanctions list.
Moscow’s ‘shadow fleet’ consists of vessels that are used to skirt Western sanctions. They are often ageing ships in poor condition, without proper insurance and with opaque ownership.
Sweden’s coast guard has also carried out boardings of several other suspect vessels in recent months.
