We posted yesterday about a telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Germany that was severed Monday morning, and a 218km internet link between Lithuania and Sweden’s Gotland Island that stopped working on Sunday.
Chinese Bulk Carrier Detained
Today, a Chinese-flagged bulk carrier Yi Peng 3 is suspected of being involved in the sabotage of the two undersea fiber optic cables. The Danish Navy detained the Chinese bulk carrier last night. Yi Peng 3 is now anchored in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden on Wednesday, with a Danish navy patrol ship at anchor nearby.
The Chinese bulker departed the Russian port of Ust-Luga on 15 November. It travelled through the Baltic Sea, passing near the Finland-Germany cable (C-Lion1) and the Sweden-Lithuania cable (BCS), both of which were damaged on 17 and 18 November, respectively.
Tracking data shows the ship’s presence in the vicinity of the cable damage, prompting Swedish and Danish authorities to investigate its potential involvement.
Marine Traffic notes that a similar incident with a Chinese vessel destroying an underwater asset in the Baltic Sea happened in late 2022, when the Chinese container vessel, the New Polar Bear, ended up damaging a gas pipeline due to its anchor dragging across the seabed. Chinese authorities have acknowledged the incident but claim that the vessel accidentally damaged the pipeline due to stormy conditions that were prevailing at the time.
The Yi Peng 3 is owned by Ningbo Yipeng Shipping, a Chinese company that has only one other vessel.
Irish Navy Intercepts Russian Spy Ship
In what may or may not be a related incident, on Friday, the Irish navy shadowed a Russian ‘subsea spy ship’ after it entered Irish-controlled waters on Thursday and patrolled a section of the Irish Sea where critical energy pipelines and data cables connect Ireland with Britain, the Irish Examiner reported.
The LÉ James Joyce monitored the Yantar “research vessel” and escorted it out of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at around 3am on Friday, from where it headed south.
There are three gas pipelines and two electricity interconnectors between Britain and Ireland — with two of the pipelines and one of the interconnectors near where the Yantar was operating. The bulk of Ireland’s gas supplies come via the pipelines from Britain.
In addition, eight data cables connecting Ireland to Britain are also in the area patrolled by the Yantar.
Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.