Yi-Peng3 Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a recent announcement from the Swedish National Disaster Management Authority, no evidence has been found to suggest that the vessel 'Yi Peng 3' deliberately damaged data cables situated on the seabed of the Baltic Sea in November 2024. The Swedish Coast Guard closely monitored the 'Yi Peng 3' amid allegations involving the suspected destruction of two submarine cables. Following the ship's anchorage in international waters near Denmark, a team consisting of Swedish police and accident investigators was dispatched to board the vessel and initiate a thorough inquiry. The findings from the investigation, spearheaded by the Chinese accident investigation authority, revealed that the ship's port side anchor had trailed behind for a length of 180 nautical miles over a period of one and a half days. Nonetheless, the inquiry determined that intentional damage could not be established.

Sweden had intended to conduct an inspection of the 'Yi Peng 3', following the discovery of cable breaks in November that raised suspicions of sabotage. Authorities planned to safely guide the vessel into Gothenburg for a comprehensive examination. However, the request for the ship to leave international waters and enter Swedish territorial waters was denied by China. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson stated that they had proposed bringing the 'Yi Peng 3' into port for thorough investigations, but the Chinese response did not permit this. On December 21, as the vessel prepared to exit the area, Swedish police were permitted onboard, but were rendered ineffective as Chinese personnel arrived on the ship for their own assessment.

Recent activity by Russian naval units in the southern Kattegat has sparked speculation regarding their operational intentions, with a focus on unusual movements near the former anchorage of the bulk carrier 'Yi Peng 3'. Notably, the tugs 'Sergeji Balk' and 'SB123' have been observed executing strange maneuvers since January 6, 2025. The 'Sergeji Balk' was noted traversing a corridor approximately 21.5 nautical miles east of Grenaa, oscillating between northeast and southwest directions along a deep-water route connecting the Great Belt and Kattegat. Support for these operations came on the evening of January 6, when the 'SB123' arrived from Baltiysk, joining the 'Sergeji Balk' in what appeared to be a coordinated operation that also involved at least two additional vessels. This operation ceased around midday on January 8, prompting both tugs to transit the Great Belt and head towards the central Baltic Sea. Interestingly, the recorded navigation patterns do not correspond with standard maritime passage norms, and indications suggest that submarine cables were not the direct target of interest. Instead, heightened scrutiny is directed towards the 'Yi Peng 3', which was anchored nearby and previously noted in connection with damage to submarine cables reported between Sweden and Lithuania and Finland and Germany in mid-November. The 'SB123' previously drew attention during an operation on October 4, 2024, when it, alongside the hydroacoustic reconnaissance vessel 'Chusovoy -GS-31', ventured towards Skagen, subsequently anchoring in the Great Belt region. That operation coincided with activities related to the installation of underwater cables near the Anholt offshore wind farm, potentially making these Russian tugs a focus of interest for monitoring such endeavors. Additional context surrounds the 'Sergeji Balk', which was previously tracked on December 31, 2024, alongside an unidentified Kilo-class submarine, navigating through the Great Belt under the escort of the Danish Navy. Following the onset of a storm on January 1, 2025, both vessels took refuge southeast of Skagen, later rejoined by the missile corvette 'Soobrazitelny', which was escorting the Russian tanker 'General Skobelev' and the roro vessel 'Sparta II' to the Mediterranean. Given the prolonged presence of the 'Sergeji Balk' and the submarine, believed to be the B-608 'Mozhaisk' destined for the Pacific Fleet, suspicions of a technical malfunction arose, particularly after the departures of the 'SB123' and another tug, the 'Evgeniy Churov'. The puzzling movements of the 'Sergeji Balk', 'SB123', and affiliated ships underscore a concerning pattern, with fresh developments emerging on January 8, when the corvette 'Soobrazitelny' and an unidentified submarine were observed heading south in the northern Kattegat, near the island of Läsoe. As events continue to unfold, the maritime community watches closely for further implications of these unusual naval activities.