The tanker Flora 1 is allowed to leave Sweden

“The suspicions do not lead to a prosecution, but the shipping industry should know that Swedish authorities are working close together to maintain order at sea. We are acting to increase maritime safety and protect the environment. If there is a suspicious vessel, we shall intervene, based on the prevailing conditions,” says Daniel Stenling, Deputy Head of the Swedish Coast Guard’s Operations Department.

It was on Thursday on April 2, that the crew of the Swedish Coast Guard’s aircraft discovered a spill of mineral oil within Sweden’s economic zone, a spill that at the time was over 12 kilometers long. The tanker Flora 1 was soon identified as being of interest to the investigation.

The Swedish Coast Guard, in collaboration with the Police Authority, boarded the vessel on Friday morning and brought it to an anchorage south of Ystad, in the south of Sweden. Preliminary investigation and customary investigative measures were carried out, on behalf of the Swedish Prosecution Authority, taking into account the special regulations that apply according to international agreements in the event of spills at sea.

On Friday, the Swedish Prosecution Authority also raised suspicions of lack of seaworthiness under the Maritime Act, based on the ship's unclear flag state. The ship has changed its name and flag state several times in recent years. On Saturday, however, Cameroon confirmed that the ship is registered in their shipping register. That investigation has therefore been closed.

“If there is no legal basis for continuing the preliminary investigation, we do not detain the ship. In addition, there is a flag state. We are satisfied that we have created clarity on that issue,” says Daniel Stenling.

The tanker Flora 1, which was on its way from a port in the Gulf of Finland with an unclear destination, is now entitled to leave Swedish waters.

“The Swedish Coast Guard is critical of the lack of clarity regarding the ship's flag. This is not how shipping is supposed to work. The flag at the stern should match the information that is easily available for the authorities to check. Being open with information about ships makes it easier to clarify the obligations of the ship, but also its rights and freedoms,” says Daniel Stenling.

All questions regarding the preliminary investigations are answered by the Swedish Prosecution Authority.