Overview
- The Swedish Coast Guard boarded the 96-meter Caffa on March 6 off Trelleborg and treated the Guinean-flagged vessel as stateless on suspicion of a false flag.
- One crew member was taken ashore and is suspected of maritime code and ship safety violations as well as use of a forged document, which authorities describe as an aggravated crime.
- The Prosecution Authority has assumed the preliminary investigation while the Coast Guard continues searches and interviews on board.
- Ship-tracking data and Ukrainian officials say the freighter departed Casablanca bound for St. Petersburg with grain, and Sweden’s coast guard says the vessel appears on Ukraine’s sanctions list with alleged links to stolen Ukrainian grain shipments.
- Officials highlight unclear ownership, a recent switch from a Russian to a Guinean flag, and possible lack of insurance, placing the case within Europe’s broader crackdown on opaque ‘shadow fleet’ operations.