May 31, 2025 at 5:04 pm

The Swedish government is taking measures against uncontrolled passage of Russian-chartered, often poorly maintained boats in the Baltic Sea. From 1 July, all foreign ships entering Swedish territorial waters or economic zones must share information about insurance policies.

Stockholm has long been pushing for measures against the Russian shadow fleet, which frequently circumvents international rules. The regulation presented on Saturday aims to improve maritime safety and protect the environment, among other things.

The Swedish Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration will therefore now collect insurance information from all ships sailing in the area and not just those calling at a Swedish port.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson believes the measure has a deterrent effect. “It also provides Sweden and our allies with important information that can be used as a basis for placing more ships in the shadow fleet on the sanctions list. We are seeing more and more problematic events in the Baltic Sea,” he said, according to the AP news agency .

He added that it is no longer enough to “hope for the best”, but that it is high time to “prepare for the worst”. All the more reason to intensify surveillance in the Baltic Sea. Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer supported Kristersson by saying that it is very important to inspect more ships.

(C)NU.NL 2025