Swedish Authorities Board Suspicious Cargo Ship Caffa in Maritime Law Operation

On Friday afternoon, Swedish police and the Coast Guard conducted a coordinated boarding operation of the cargo ship Caffa in Swedish territorial waters near Trelleborg, as part of Operation 'Svart Kaffe'. The action involved several vessels and a helicopter, from which armed personnel descended onto the ship. The authorities had monitored the vessel for some time due to suspicions that it was sailing under a false flag and violating maritime law.

The ship, which is on Ukraine’s sanctions list, had switched its registration from Russia to Guinea but has a history of docking at multiple Russian ports. Eleven crew members were on board, predominantly Russian nationals, with one suspected of maritime law violations. The vessel had departed Casablanca, Morocco, on February 24, heading to St. Petersburg and passed through Danish waters near Öresund early Saturday.

Daniel Stenling, deputy operational chief of the Coast Guard, noted that Caffa showed poor seaworthiness and posed a threat to maritime safety. Authorities highlighted concerns about the ship’s involvement in transporting grain reportedly stolen from Ukraine.

The ship was detained for further investigations by the Swedish Transport Agency, which may lead to a ban on its operation. Stenling emphasized a growing problem with ships not adhering to Baltic maritime law, signaling intensified future enforcement efforts.

This rigorous operation illustrates Sweden’s commitment to securing its waters and addressing illegal maritime activities, especially those linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions.