Eurocargo-Valencia Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

A significant investigation has been launched by Finnish authorities following an incident involving the MV Finnsun. On December 20, 2012, the vessel loaded a container in St. Petersburg that reportedly contained spare parts for tanks. The ship was en route to Antwerp, Belgium, with a scheduled stop at the Port of Kotka. However, during a routine inspection process on January 3, 2013, the true military nature of the cargo was uncovered, revealing it was intended for Syria. This revelation is crucial, as European Union regulations strictly prohibit the export of arms and related materials to Syria due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. As a result, the cargo was not allowed to be unloaded in Antwerp, and under Finnish law, Finnlines was unable to return the container to St. Petersburg. In response to the situation, the shipping company made the decision to transport the container back to Helsinki. Upon arrival, they promptly engaged Finnish Customs for further inspection and action. The MV Finnsun reached Vuosaari in Helsinki where Customs conducted an examination of the cargo on January 9, 2013. Finnlines has been fully transparent, supplying Finnish Customs with all necessary information regarding the cargo's journey from St. Petersburg to Antwerp, and is cooperating fully with ongoing investigations.