The vessels Caffa and Sea Owl I were stopped off Trelleborg in planned operations, with Caffa intercepted on the afternoon of March 6 and Sea Owl I boarded on the evening of March 12. The captains are accused of submitting forged documents to the Coast Guard. The Caffa is suspected of transporting stolen Ukrainian grain and is on the Ukraine sanctions list, while Sea Owl I is on the EU sanctions list.
The vessels had been mapped for a long time, were on various sanctions lists, and had repeatedly entered Russian ports in the St. Petersburg area. First radio contact was made near Kullen with the Swedish Maritime Administration, which requested insurance certificates and forwarded them to relevant authorities.
They were shocked. They didn't think anyone would come with food.
The Coast Guard and police national task force prepared for the interventions, and the Navy and Air Force incident readiness were on standby. The vessels entered Swedish territorial waters, enabling stronger jurisdiction for intervention. The captain of Caffa was arrested on suspicion of gross use of false documents, violation of maritime law, and violation of ship safety law.
The captain of Sea Owl I is under suspicion for use of false documents, serious crimes, and violations of Sweden's maritime act. Senior prosecutor Adrien Combier-Hogg stated that searches, interrogations, and investigation of suspected false documents are ongoing, and no detentions have been made yet in the Sea Owl I case. The Caffa was issued a total usage ban due to serious safety deficiencies, and Transportstyrelsen found multiple deficiencies on Caffa, including issues with seaworthiness, ballast water management, bilge water control systems, and safety organization.
A resolute measure against the shadow fleet.
Sea Owl I lacked valid flag state and registration. The Coast Guard's operational chief Daniel Stenling said threats to maritime safety and the environment are too high, justifying intervention. He added that a stateless vessel poses a safety risk because no state can be held responsible in case of an accident.
Stenling also noted that there is an increasing number of ships that do not respect the law of the sea, and the risk of accidents increases when ships are not certified. Shadow fleet vessels often lack known crew skills, certifications, and insurance. Swedish Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin stated Sweden will continue to uphold international maritime law and intervene against actors not complying with maritime regulations.
We will continue to act against falsely flagged vessels in our territorial waters.
The Coast Guard received additional funding and new legal powers on March 1, 2025, to enhance maritime surveillance, and the government is investigating further arming of Coast Guard personnel and vessels. Bohlin described Russia's threats as reckless rhetoric not in line with reality. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha praised Sweden's actions as a resolute measure against the shadow fleet, adding that collective action against shadow fleet vessels is gaining momentum and that sanctions work when strictly enforced.
Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also praised the intervention. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the situation completely unacceptable and threatened to respond with all necessary means, claiming the term shadow fleet was coined by the EU to engage in piracy. Russia asserts that the vessels meet all criteria for free and unimpeded navigation and calls the boardings illegal, accusing Europe of not acting against similar vessels if they serve European interests.
There may be coordination among European countries to act more forcefully.
The Russian embassy stated that 10 of the 11 crew members on Caffa are Russian citizens and offered consular support. The crew of Caffa ran out of food, with only a rotten cabbage and two kilos of potatoes left. The Seamen's Church bought food for the crew using funds from a foundation, with the shopping list created with the help of AI.
The Coast Guard helped transport the food to the crew. According to Dagens Nyheter, Fredrik Axvik–Larsson described the crew as shocked to receive food. The responsibility for the crew lies primarily with the shipping company, then the flag state, and finally the coastal state.
Threats to maritime safety and the environment are too high, justifying intervention.
France and Belgium have also boarded suspected shadow fleet vessels in the Mediterranean and North Sea. France boarded the tanker Grinch in the Mediterranean, considering it stateless, and French President Macron stated that circumventing sanctions has a price and Russia will no longer fund its war through a shadow fleet. Belgium, with French help, boarded the vessel Ethera flagged in Guinea.
Fourteen countries around the Baltic and North Seas agreed to take tougher measures against the shadow fleet. According to TV4 Nyheterna, Hans Liwång described possible coordination among European countries to act more forcefully. Ukraine urged Israel to detain a Russian ship, ABINSK, suspected of carrying stolen Ukrainian grain.
There is an increasing number of ships that do not respect the law of the sea.
18 tonnes of wheat from occupied regions and is docked at the Port of Haifa. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha raised the issue with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.
The risk of accidents increases when ships are not certified.
Shadow fleet vessels often lack known crew skills, certifications, and insurance.
Collective action against shadow fleet vessels is gaining momentum.
Sanctions work when strictly enforced, and the shadow fleet must be stopped to protect Europe’s security and environment.