Sweden Arrests Captain and Detains Stateless Ship for Safety Violations
Swedish authorities are continuing their investigation into a stateless cargo ship after receiving a court order to hold the captain for up to two weeks due to a fear that he was a flight risk. At the same time, the Swedish Transport Agency issues a detention order for the cargo ship Caffa after completing its Port State inspection.
Prosecutors told the court that they had probable cause to believe the captain, a Russian citizen in his 50s, had committed a crime. They are alleging he presented multiple false documents when the Coast Guard and police boarded the ship on Friday, March 6. They are alleging that the documents are forged. Under Swedish law, that would be a felony. In addition, they told the court the captain is suspected of violating Sweden’s Maritime Act and Ship Safety Act.
Because the captain has no known ties to Sweden, prosecutors argued he was a flight risk, and the court agreed. He was initially taken into custody on Saturday evening, and prosecutors now have two weeks, until March 24, to file charges against the captain. The captain denied any wrongdoing.
The investigation is ongoing, and the 10 other crewmembers aboard the ship, who are reported to also be mostly Russian, are being interviewed. Earlier, the Coast Guard said those crewmembers were not suspected of a crime.
Swedish authorities said the vessel was stopped on Friday because they suspected it was traveling under a false flag. The ship was claiming to be registered in Guyana, although it previously had sailed under the Russian flag. Ukraine also accuses the ship of previously having stolen grain from occupied Crimea.
The Swedish Transport Agency reported that it identified deficiencies aboard the ship but did not provide details. They said a detention order has been issued, and the ship will need to correct the issues and undergo another inspection before it can leave Sweden. They have deemed the ship as not being seaworthy.
The Coast Guard, which had initially been leading the investigation, reports it has been handed over to the prosecutors. It is now acting on instructions from the prosecutors. A patrol boat, KBV 034, is standing by near the vessel, which remains at anchor in the Baltic near Trelleborg.
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Built in 1997, ownership is reported as a corporation in the Seychelles. The Caffa’s classification was withdrawn in June 2025 by the Russian Maritime Register of Ships. In April 2025, it underwent a Port State inspection in Turkey, which identified 11 deficiencies, ranging from working conditions to propulsion and safety of navigation.
The Caffa was traveling from Morocco and reported its destination as Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Coast Guard said after the inspection that the ship was traveling unloaded when it was stopped. It had previously transported grain.