Newnew Polar Bear damages Balticconnector pipeline and communication cables in Gulf of Finland

In October 2023, the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia, along with several communication cables, was damaged when the anchor of the Chinese container ship Newnew Polar Bear struck them on the seabed of the Gulf of Finland. Finnish media outlet Svenska Yle has obtained previously unpublished material about the incident through international journalistic collaboration.

The Estonian public broadcaster ERR acquired an audio recording of a conversation between a crew member of the Newnew Polar Bear and Estonian authorities just before the anchor is believed to have detached. The Estonian-Swedish communication cable recorded its first documented damages at 6:13 PM on October 7, shortly after the Newnew Polar Bear contacted Estonian maritime control at 5:17 PM.

The conversation, conducted in English, raised eyebrows given that the crew member spoke with a distinct Chinese accent. According to The Economist, the crew of the Newnew Polar Bear was swapped in Kaliningrad, Russia, suggesting that the individual communicating with Tallinn traffic was likely Chinese. The Newnew Polar Bear reported carrying 12 containers with a total of 287 metric tons of hazardous materials, including flammable liquids and corrosive substances.

Only an hour later, the first incident occurred when the anchor snagged the communication cable between Sweden and Estonia near Estonia’s Hiiumaa island. At 1:20 AM, the anchor subsequently broke the Balticconnector pipeline, and remnants of the anchor damaged another communication cable running between Helsinki and Tallinn.

Meanwhile, two Russian research vessels were reported to have operated near Balticconnector multiple times during the summer and early autumn of 2023. The Estonian Navy has expressed uncertainty regarding any connection between the vessels’ activities and the pipeline incident, emphasizing that their presence might have been linked to NATO exercises. The Estonian Central Criminal Police is currently investigating the events under the assumption of aggravated destruction, examining the possibilities of technical failure, negligence, or intentional act. They plan to provide updates in October.