Sweden’s Coast Guard reported on Monday that the country’s prosecutors have opened a new investigation into the detained product tanker Sea Owl I. According to media reports, a replacement captain who was sent to the vessel after it was detained in March has now been detained on new accusations of presenting false papers to the Swedish authorities.
The Sea Owl I was boarded on March 12, with the Swedish authorities reporting they suspected the ship was operating under a false flag and was a danger to the environment. Equasis shows the ship’s last inspection was in November 2023 and that it was sold in October 2025 to an unidentified buyer, with its manager unknown.
When the Swedish authorities questioned the Russian captain, he presented papers reporting that the 75,000 dwt product tanker, which was built in 2008, was registered in Comoros. He told them the ship was coming from Brazil empty and bound for Russia.
The first captain was arrested in March on charges that he presented false papers, and the ship was ordered detained until it could provide proof of a legitimate flag and insurance. Last week, Swedish media reported that the ship had provided proof to show it was now flagged in Cameroon. The Swedish Transport Agency was reported to have received confirmation from the Cameroonian Maritime Authority.
Prosecutors opened a new preliminary investigation on Friday, May 15, and the Coast Guard said a new crewmember aboard the ship Sea Owl I had been arrested. The person was suspected of using a false document, a felony in Sweden.
Media reports are saying it is the new captain who has been arrested after suspicions were raised about the reported new registry in Cameroon. This came about 10 days after reports said the first captain had been released. Prosecutors have previously said that it was difficult to prove intent in these cases and have released the master of the Sea Owl I and other vessels also suspected of sailing under false flags.
The Swedish Transport Agency is reported to have moved to renew the detention of the Sea Owl I after last week having said the vessel was free to depart. It is one of two product tankers Sweden is detaining, with the Jin Hui having been detained at the beginning of May after it falsely claimed to be sailing under the flag of Syria. Sweden is also holding the general cargo ship Caffa while the courts review a claim from Ukraine for the ship to be handed over on charges it transported stolen grain from occupied portions of the Unkraine.
Sweden also stopped two other vessels recently that it charged with pollution violations. The captains were permitted to pay fines and depart Sweden. The government had said last year that it planned to crack down on shadow fleet vessels sailing through Swedish waters into and out of the Baltic.
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