Swedish authorities are holding a crew member of the cargo ship Caffa, seized Friday off the coast of Trelleborg, Sweden, on suspicion of maritime code violations, ship safety breaches, and the use of forged documents, the Swedish Coast Guard announced Sunday.
The 96-meter vessel, flagged to Guinea but described by Swedish authorities as “stateless,” was en route to St. Petersburg, Russia, at the time of its detention. Ukraine has placed the Caffa on its national sanctions list, alleging its involvement in the theft of Ukrainian grain, according to statements from Ukrainian officials.
The Coast Guard stated that the detained crew member is suspected of aggravated crimes related to document forgery. The preliminary investigation has been taken over by the Swedish prosecution authority, while the Coast Guard continues its investigation aboard the ship. “Findings that have been made have led to a crew member being detained and brought ashore,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
According to the Swedish Coast Guard’s Acting Head of Operations, Daniel Stenling, the Caffa exhibits “extensive deficiencies” related to its operation and activities. “Our mandate is to uphold the regulations at sea. We will take action against vessels that violate them and that jeopardize safety in our maritime territory,” Stenling said.
Ship-tracking data indicates the Caffa departed from Casablanca in late February. Authorities are currently assessing the ship’s seaworthiness and authorization to continue its voyage, according to the Swedish Transport Agency.
The Russian Embassy in Stockholm has stated that ten of the eleven crew members are Russian nationals and is in contact with local authorities to provide consular assistance.
Ukrainian President’s Commissioner for Sanctions, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, alleges the Caffa was transporting grain stolen from occupied Ukrainian territories, including a shipment from the port of Sevastopol in Crimea in July 2025, and delivered to the port of Tartus in Syria.
The seizure of the Caffa is the latest in a series of detentions of vessels linked to Russia, as European countries increase scrutiny of what has been termed Russia’s “shadow fleet” – a network of tankers and cargo ships used to circumvent international sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine. These vessels are often older, poorly maintained, lack adequate insurance, and have opaque ownership structures.
