– Vessels that we suspect may not be seaworthy, and that we assess do not follow the rules that apply and that we have agreed on, continue to sail in Swedish waters. That is not acceptable. We have intervened before, and now we are intervening again, says Daniel Stenling, Deputy Head of Operations at the Swedish Coast Guard.

Today's intervention is the fifth in total and the third where seaworthiness is the focus. It needs to be investigated.

The tanker Jin Hui was boarded at around 14:00 on Sunday afternoon as it was entering the Baltic Sea. The Coast Guard has been following the vessel for some time. It is 182 metres long and flies the Syrian flag. The vessel is probably unladen. Its destination is unclear.

Several indicators make the vessel of interest. For example, it is on several sanctions lists, including those of the EU and the United Kingdom. The Coast Guard suspects that the vessel is falsely flagged, as there are a number of uncertainties about its flag status. The Coast Guard therefore suspects that it does not meet the seaworthiness requirements set out in international regulations and agreements.

The boarding was carried out in cooperation with the Swedish Police Authority. It went calmly and according to plan. Coast Guard staff are now on board the Jin Hui, working to investigate a suspected offence. The preliminary investigation, which the Coast Guard opened earlier in the day, is now led by a prosecutor.

– It is very serious that there are so many shortcomings and uncertainties around vessels that sail in our waters. We are now investigating these circumstances to get clarity., says Daniel Stenling.

Intervening against vessels, which happens for various reasons, is part of the Coast Guard's everyday work. We investigate suspected offences carefully. In cases like this, the Coast Guard may order the vessel concerned to anchor in Swedish territorial waters, which makes the investigation easier. The designated anchorage is south of Trelleborg.