An investigation into the destruction of the Balticconnector gas pipeline began in China before Christmas, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen could state after the meeting between the two presidents. The sequence of events is more or less clear: The Chinese-owned ship “Newnew Polar Bear”, with a submerged anchor, tore away the Baltic Connector gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland shortly before half past two on the night of 8 October 2022. The anchor was later found by the Finnish border guard and raised for further investigations. Photos taken by “Newnew Polar Bear” later in October showed that the ship was missing one anchor. AN ARM MISSING: The anchor that the Finnish border guard has raised from the bottom, one arm was missing. Photo: Rajavartio/The Finnish Border Guard Fresh operator “Newnew Polar Bear” was specially built for shipping containers in March 2005. Since then, the vessel has had many owners and names. In the spring of 2023, it was bought and taken over by the Chinese company Hainan Xin Xin Yang Shipping. Hainan Xin Xin is a well-known and reputable Chinese transport company. But it had no experience of operating ships in the northern regions. The Northeast Passage It was not long before it became clear what the Chinese had in mind. They wanted to start a shipping route from St. Petersburg and other Russian Baltic Sea ports via the Northeast Passage to China. Hainan Xin Xin collaborates with the Russian company Torgmoll, which transports containers on by rail in Russia and other countries in the former Soviet Union. HUGE TRANSPORT NEED. Most of the goods that are exported go in containers via train and ship. This photo shows a transshipment terminal in Horgos in western China. Photo: The Chinese Ministry of Transport In 2023, the shipping company carried out seven voyages with three different ships through the Northeast Passage, according to statistics compiled by the Center for High North Logistics. In October 2023, “Newnew Polar Bear” then appeared in the Baltic Sea, a water the boat had sailed a lot in previously, but under different names. After first visiting Kaliningrad, the Russian enclave between Lithuania and Poland, the trip then went north and into the Gulf of Finland. What happened to the anchor? This is where the ship suddenly lowers one anchor. Which then tears the gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia with it, with the result that a large hole appears in it and the pressure drops. Investigations carried out by the Estonian authorities indicate that the anchor was dragged for many tens of kilometers along the seabed before it was torn loose after it became stuck in the gas pipe. DRADD ALONG THE BOTTOM. According to the Estonian authorities, the anchor from Newnew Polar Bear was dragged nearly 100 kilometers along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Photo: Reuters Also a communication cable between Estonia and Sweden was apparently damaged by the anchor from “Newnew Polar Bear”. Was this an accident from an inexperienced crew on a boat they had just mustered on? Or was there someone on board who gave the order to lower the anchor as they approached the strategically important gas pipeline between the EU and now also the NATO countries Finland and Estonia? GAS PIPELINE: The pipeline between Finland and Estonia crosses the Gulf of Finland, and has been in operation since 2020. At some point the crew must have chosen to cut the chain to the anchor, before continuing east to St Petersburg. After a short stay there, it sails back out to the Baltic Sea. Stop at Kamchatka The journey then goes along the Norwegian coast and on to Arkhangelsk in Russia, before sailing through the Northeast Passage and through the Bering Strait. The boat then makes a stop on the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula. The reason is said to have been that the cook on board became acutely ill and had to be treated. He is said to have died later. At this point, “Newnew Polar Bear” has already come under the spotlight for the investigation that the Finnish authorities have initiated. They have also approached the Chinese authorities. TOPIC IN CONVERSATION WEDNESDAY: The Chinese ship Newnew Polar Bear was the topic when Finnish President Sauli Niinistö spoke with his Chinese colleague Xi Jinping on Wednesday. Photo: The office of the President of Finland Crew under pressure In parallel, Estonia has also turned to China on the matter. Kauri Sinkevicius in the international department at the Estonian public prosecutor writes in an e-mail to news that they have not yet received any response from China to an inquiry where they have requested information about Newnew Polar Bear’s possible role in the case. According to what news knows, the crew of “Newnew Polar Bear” is under great pressure. Not least from a shipping company which must be afraid that the new sea route and the investment in traffic through the Northeast Passage may get a bad reputation almost before it has started. According to several media, including Finnish YLE, the ship arrived this week in the Chinese port city of Tianjin.
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What happened when the gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea was torn up? – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
