Finnish police says Chinese ship's anchor damaged Baltic gas pipeline

Finnish police have revealed that damage to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia was caused by a Chinese container ship’s loose anchor. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), citing evidence and data, stated that the damage earlier this month to the undersea Balticconnector pipeline traversing the Gulf of Finland was caused by the cargo vessel Newnew Polar Bear, flying the flag of Hong Kong. Authorities stated that they were looking into whether the anchor that the Finnish navy recovered from the site of the pipeline break on October 8 belonged to the Chinese ship. The six-ton anchor that came loose probably generated a 1.5 to 4-meter-wide seabed path that led to the pipeline’s breaking point. “There are signs in the anchor that suggest it came into contact with the gas pipeline,” NBI investigator Detective Superintendent Risto Lohi stated. The next stage of the investigation, according to officials, would concentrate on determining if the damage was purposeful, accidental, or the result of “bad seafaring”. Gas system operators in Finland and Estonia shut down the pipeline on October 8 after seeing a large reduction in pressure. The 48-mile pipeline that connects the Estonian port of Paldiski to the Finnish town of Inkoo was found to have been mechanically damaged inside the Finnish economic zone, which caused it to be moved from its original location in the seabed. Last week, Finnish investigators determined that the Newnew Polar Bear was the main suspect after comparing the ship’s path and position to the incident’s time and place. Recent photos of the Chinese ship on social media showed that one of its anchors was missing when it paused at the Russian port of St. Petersburg while sailing the Baltic Sea. The ship is reportedly cruising through northern Russian waters, probably on its way back to China via the Northern Sea Route, according to the Marine Traffic website. Finnish investigators have made several attempts to get in touch with the captain of the ship, but have not been successful. As a result, they are working with Chinese authorities on the case. A representative from Beijing’s foreign ministry reaffirmed Beijing’s demand for an impartial and thorough investigation into the event during a routine press briefing, adding that the Chinese vessel was functioning normally at the time. Significant damage was found to the €300 million (£260 million) Balticconnector gas pipeline, which is a vital conduit connecting Finland to the European gas network and which started operating in early 2020, according to newly published photographs from the Finnish Border Guard. The anticipated duration of the repairs is at least until the end of April. Simultaneously with the pipeline damage, a telecom cable connecting Finland, Estonia, and Sweden was also affected; Finnish authorities have indicated that this cable was connected to the Chinese vessel. (with inputs from agencies)