Swedish Coast Guard Boards Bulk Carrier Suspected of Dumping Waste in Baltic Sea

Swedish authorities have boarded a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier off the coast of Gothenburg following reports that the vessel dumped waste in the Baltic Sea near Fårö.

Sweden’s Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin confirmed the action in a post on X, stating: “I have received information this afternoon that @Kustbevakningen, in Swedish waters, has boarded a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier off the coast of Gothenburg, which was reportedly observed dumping waste in the Baltic Sea off Fårö.”

Bohlin characterized the boarding as “a clear example of how the Coast Guard conducts active maritime surveillance to combat environmental crimes.”

The minister did not name the vessel in his statement. The incident occurred in Swedish territorial waters, with the Coast Guard (Kustbevakningen) conducting the enforcement action.

The Baltic Sea has been subject to increasing environmental protections in recent years due to concerns about pollution and its impact on the marine ecosystem. Illegal waste dumping by commercial vessels remains a persistent enforcement challenge for Baltic nations.

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