Update: Finnish officials now believe the damage to the Balticconnector pipeline was caused by a ship dragging a large anchor. Investigators have not determined if the act was intentional.
Finnish officials say that the investigation into the Balticconnector pipeline destruction is focused on a Chinese shipping vessel. The Swedish Prime Minister deemed the damage to the pipeline to be “purposeful.”
On October 8, the Balticconnector and a nearby data cable sustained damage. The pipeline can transfer natural gas between Finland and Estonia. The pipeline started operation in 2020. Balticconnector is Helsinki’s lone link to Europe’s natural gas infrastructure network.
After the incident, Finland and Estonia launched an investigation into the damage. Officials reported that the damage was mechanical and significant, but not caused by explosives. When the probe was launched, officials suggested Russia was responsible, and the head of NATO vowed to hold the guilty party accountable.
On Friday, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said the Chinese NewNew Polar Bear container vessel is now the focus of the inquiry. “The police have established in the criminal investigation that the movements of the vessel NewNew Polar Bear flying the flag of Hong Kong coincide with the time and place of the gas pipeline damage,” an NBI statement explained. “For this reason, the probe is now focused on the role of the said vessel.”
Estonian officials confirmed that the NewNew Polar Bear was the focus of the investigation. Finnish investigation noted a heavy object was found near Balticconnector. In June, the ship was sold to the Chinese shipowner Hainan Xin Xin Yang Shipping and renamed from Baltic Fulmar to NewNew Polar Bear.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson updated the probe into the destruction of a data cable that links Sweden and Estonia. The cable is located near the Balticconnector and was damaged around the same time. The cables were not as severely damaged as the pipeline.
Kristersson said the attack was “purposeful.” He refused to give further details, saying, “We will not be more precise than that as of today.”
Chinese and Russian officials have denied involvement. Russia’s state-owned Rosatom said, “We categorically reject as groundless any suggestions that a Rosatom-operated ship may have been in any way connected to the Balticconnector pipeline incident in the Gulf of Finland on October 8.”
Finnish and Chinese diplomats have opened communications into the incident. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied Beijing was involved.
