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Swedish Authorities Release Tanker Detained Over Baltic Sea Oil Spill
FRANKFURT, Germany – Swedish officials have released the tanker Flora 1, which had been detained on suspicion of causing a significant oil spill in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Coast Guard reported that their investigation found insufficient evidence linking the vessel to the 12-kilometer (8-mile) oil slick discovered last Thursday.
Initially stopped on Friday, the Flora 1’s registration was clarified during the inquiry, with Cameroon confirming the vessel was sailing under its flag. This detail had been uncertain when the 24-member crew and the tanker were first detained.
The Flora 1 is among a group of ships sanctioned by the European Union for transporting Russian oil while engaging in high-risk practices, such as disabling automatic tracking systems that reveal their locations. These sanctions target what is known as the “shadow fleet,” a collection of older tankers that have circumvented a G7-imposed price cap on Russian oil. The cap, enforced by blocking insurance and shipping services for oil priced above a set limit, aims to restrict revenue funding Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Concerns persist over the shadow fleet’s safety record, given the vessels’ advanced age and lack of Western insurance coverage-raising questions about potential environmental risks and financial responsibility for spill cleanups.
Owned by a Hong Kong-based company since late 2025, the Flora 1 has been sanctioned not only by the EU but also by the UK, Canada, Australia, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia, according to Ukrainian authorities. The tanker has a history of frequent changes, having altered its name six times and flag registration nine times. Observers have noted that it has disabled its tracking systems and engaged in ship-to-ship transfers, tactics used to obscure the origin of its oil cargo.
Under current sanctions, any transactions involving the Flora 1 and similar vessels are prohibited. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as investigations proceed.