Swedish Authorities Board Russian Tanker Adler for Inspection

Swedish authorities boarded and searched the Russian flagged tanker Adler on December 21 while it was anchored in Swedish territorial waters. Officials have not yet disclosed what, if anything, was found during the inspection.

The vessel reported mechanical issues near the Kullen Peninsula, issued a distress call and subsequently anchored within Sweden’s waters. The operation involved the Swedish Coast Guard, the National Task Force, the Swedish Security Service and the Police, with the boarding carried out at around 1:00 a.m. local time. According to reports, the search was completed without incident.

Built in 1998, the Adler is a Russian flagged tanker measuring 126.8 meters in length with a beam of 20 meters and a gross tonnage of 8,811. Its owner, M Leasing LLC, is on the European Union sanctions list, and both the vessel and the company are sanctioned by the United States. The tanker has also been previously associated with the transport of Russian weaponry.