Finland claims China ship is focus of pipeline damage damage

Finland claims China ship is the focus of pipeline damage.
NBI is currently focusing its investigation on the potential involvement.

Finnish authorities are considering the possibility of sabotage.

Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is currently focusing its investigation on the potential involvement of the Chinese NewNew Polar Bear container vessel in the damage to the Balticonnector gas pipeline.

The incident, which occurred on October 8, led to the disruption of the gas pipeline and a telecoms cable connecting Finland and Estonia.

Finnish authorities are considering the possibility of sabotage, but they have not yet confirmed whether it was accidental or deliberate.

The NBI noted that the movements of the NewNew Polar Bear, a vessel registered in Hong Kong, coincided with the time and location of the gas pipeline damage. Consequently, the investigation is now centered on the role of this vessel.

Estonian investigators, who are also examining the telecoms cable incidents, are looking into two ships, the NewNew Polar Bear and Russia’s Sevmorput, to determine whether they were involved in the damage.

According to vessel tracking data reviewed by Reuters, these two ships were the only ones present at all three incident sites around the approximate time of the damage.

Finland’s NBI reported that a “heavy object” was discovered on the seabed near the pipeline damage and is being investigated to ascertain its connection to the incident.

The damage was confirmed to result from an external mechanical force, with no indication of an explosion based on current information.

The investigation team plans to lift the heavy object from the sea for further examination. NewNew Shipping, the operator of the NewNew Polar Bear, declined to comment on the matter.

Additionally, Finland’s foreign ministry has reached out to China and Russia through diplomatic channels regarding the investigation.

They contacted China to request assistance in reaching the NewNew Polar Bear, and they informed Russia of the seriousness of the situation and the initiation of an investigation.

A second telecoms cable linking Sweden and Estonia experienced a partial outage around the same time. Both Swedish and Estonian authorities suspect external influence as the cause in parallel.

These incidents have raised concerns about the security of energy supplies in the broader Nordic region and prompted increased patrols by the NATO military alliance in the Baltic Sea.

Rosatom, Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, has denied any involvement of the Sevmorput in the pipeline damage.

They rejected suggestions of a connection between the ship and the Balticconnector pipeline incident, emphasizing that the vessel had passed through the Gulf of Finland without stopping or slowing down, maintaining a consistent speed. The crew reported nothing unusual or suspicious.

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Finland claims China ship is focus of pipeline damage

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