50 sailors remain on shadow fleet vessels off Sweden's Skåne coast

Up to fifty sailors are still aboard two anchored vessels operating as part of a "shadow fleet" off the coast of Skåne, Sweden. Swedish authorities have conducted multiple interventions against these suspected shadow vessels since March, with the latest operation involving the boarding of the ship Caffa near Trelleborg.

The operation, dubbed "Svart Kaffe," was the first of five boardings of suspected shadow fleet ships off the southern Swedish coast. While the crew of the Caffa has since left the vessel, which is now docked in Trelleborg pending transfer to Ukraine as part of a war crimes investigation, the Sea Owl I and Jin Hui remain at anchor with their crews onboard.

Daniel Stenling, deputy head of the Coast Guard's operational division, noted a concerning trend of increased activity from these vessels in Swedish waters. "There have always been falsely flagged ships, but we are experiencing a certain upward trend in our seas," Stenling stated. He highlighted that recent interventions have led some sanctioned vessels to alter their routes, often sailing south of Bornholm instead of through Swedish territorial waters.

These boardings are the result of intensive collaboration between various Swedish authorities, including the Coast Guard, police, Säpo, Transportstyrelsen, customs, and the defense forces. Stenling also pointed to expanded intelligence work, noting that since March 1st, the Coast Guard has been granted broader legal mandates for intelligence gathering in the maritime environment. While it is too early to confirm if the observed route changes are permanent, Stenling indicated a potential shift in operational patterns for these vessels.