Sweden detains dry cargo ship subject to Ukrainian sanctions
7 March 21:15
The Swedish Coast Guard used a helicopter to detain the dry cargo ship Caffa in the Baltic Sea, which was likely sailing under a false flag to the port of St. Petersburg.
This was reported by SVT, citing the kingdom’s authorities, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
Law enforcement officers are conducting investigative measures on board the cargo ship, which is on Ukraine’s sanctions list due to its involvement in the illegal transportation of grain from the annexed Crimea.
“We are questioning the crew on board and conducting a search,” said Coast Guard spokesman Mattias Lindholm.
The operation to detain the Caffa, called “Black Coffee,” was carried out on the afternoon of March 5.
The dry cargo ship flies the flag of Guinea, but according to the Swedish Coast Guard, the ship’s true ownership is not yet clear. According to the Equasis platform, the dry cargo ship’s flag is marked as Guinea False, The Insider notes. Swedish authorities have launched a preliminary investigation on suspicion of violating the Maritime Shipping Act in connection with the ship’s unseaworthiness. According to data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the Caffa left Casablanca (Morocco) on February 24 for St. Petersburg, where it was due to arrive on March 10.
Swedish Minister of Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bolin said that it is not yet known whether the ship has valid insurance. According to him, the dry cargo ship, whose ownership structure is unclear, has “many characteristics” of belonging to the “shadow fleet.”
“Given the serious threat posed by the shadow fleet, the government considers it necessary to pursue an active counterpolicy,” he said.
From at least 2017 to June 2025, Caffa sailed under the Russian flag, according to The Insider. According to Bolin, the change of flag from Russian to Guinean took place “this summer.”
The ship has been on Ukraine’s sanctions list since November 2025. In particular, Caffa is accused of involvement in the transportation of grain from Sevastopol to Syria in July last year.
