Finland Seizes Vessel Suspected of Cable Damage While it Releases Cargo
Finnish Customs released the cargo aboard the vessel Fitburg that it had been holding during an investigation into possible violations of European Union sanctions, but they have also officially seized the vessel as the investigation into the cable damage continues. The customs authority reports that while the cargo is considered to be subject to the EU sanctions, they are releasing it under a technicality after consulting with the EU and the Finnish Deputy Prosecutor General.
The Fitburg was detained in the Finnish EEZ and directed into port on December 31, 2025, as the Helsinki Police and Finnish Border Guard began an investigation into a report by Finnish telecom company Elisa of damage to one of its subsea cables running between Estonia and Latvia. The damage occurred in the Estonian EEZ near the Finnish border, but the vessel proceeded into Finnish waters before it was stopped.
The cargo has now been ordered released on a technicality. Customs says it will not be initiating a criminal investigation, and the detention of the goods ended on the provision that the steel products in the cargo are removed from Finland.
The technicality centers on the fact that the vessel was not intending to enter a Finnish port, but instead was brought into Finland under the orders of the Border Guard. A similar issue has been raised in the past, for example, when another vessel sought refuge to make repairs in Germany and was carrying a cargo of lumber. EU officials have focused on intent, saying the sanctions violation cannot be prosecuted if the ship did not intend to bring the cargo into the EU.
After the Fitburg docked in Kantvik, Finland, Finnish Customs boarded the vessel for an inspection. It found the ship was carrying structural steel that had been loaded in St. Petersburg, Russia, for export. The ship indicated on its AIS signal that it was bound for Haifa, Israel.
Customs seized the cargo, reporting that they believed it was a violation of EU sanctions. At the same time, Finland ordered the ship detained, and the police subsequently arrested one crewmember from the ship on suspicion of aggravated damage to the telecom cables. Three crewmembers have also been ordered not to leave Finland during the ongoing investigation.
Helsinki Police reported that the ongoing investigation with the Estonians had revealed that the Fitburg was suspected of dragging its anchor for more than six miles (10 kilometers). They found a dragline on the seabed around the damaged cable. Investigators have also been inspecting the ship and interviewing the crewmembers.
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To secure the preliminary investigation, the Finnish National Criminal Police began a seizure of the vessel on January 7. The police said it was “necessary at this stage.” The Fitburg continues to be suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable owned by Elisa, with the police noting “among other things.” Estonia has said it was investigating damage reported around the same time to a Swedish-owned cable running between Estonia and Finland. The police noted that the one crewmember was arrested on “suspicion of a crime.”
The Finnish police have said they anticipate the investigation will continue for several weeks. They will then hand the evidence to the prosecutor’s office.