Sweden has authorized the passage of a tanker suspected of having ties to Russia's shadow fleet

The Swedish Transport Agency has lifted the ban on the operation of the tanker Sea Owl 1, which is suspected of belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet.” In early 2026, the Swedish Coast Guard boarded the vessel near the city of Trelleborg.

This means the vessel is now free to leave Sweden.

In March, the Coast Guard detained the vessel southwest of Trelleborg. Since then, it had been prohibited from continuing its voyage.

Previously, the Sea Owl had already been granted permission to leave Trelleborg, but it was later discovered that the vessel had been falsely re-registered under a different flag. Now, the vessel’s registration in its declared flag state—Equatorial Guinea—has been verified and deemed valid, according to the Swedish Transport Agency.

“It was extremely important for us to obtain reliable confirmation directly from the flag state. It took time and required significant effort, but we have now received the information necessary to lift the operating ban,” said Pernilla Wallin, head of the division, in a statement.

The vessel is on the EU sanctions list. According to the Coast Guard, the tanker has been transporting petroleum products between Russia and Brazil in recent years.

As of 1:00 p.m. on Monday, the vessel was still anchored off Trelleborg. According to the Coast Guard, the tanker does not require permission from Swedish authorities to remain at anchor, and there must be a sufficient crew on board to continue its voyage.

This was reported by SVT.

The Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) has released data on 20 vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet.

Earlier, Japan announced a new package of economic sanctions against the Russian Federation—the aggressor state—in connection with its aggression against Ukraine. The restrictions, in particular, apply to 35 vessels of the so-called shadow fleet, which, according to Japanese authorities, transport Russian oil and help circumvent international sanctions. 

The number of vessels flying the Russian flag increased by more than a third between January 2025 and June 2026. This is happening against the backdrop of mounting international pressure and efforts to combat the so-called “shadow fleet,” according to a study by the Center for Energy and Clean Air Research.