NEWNEW POLAR BEAR
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Ship known for damaging cables became first Chinese container ship of the season in Arkhangelsk
The 'Newnew Polar Bear', known for damaging the Balticconnector pipeline and communication cables in the Gulf of Finland, was the first Chinese container ship to arrive in the port of Arkhangelsk in 2025. It arrived on Aug 15 and delivered 497 containers, marking the start of the season under the expanded Arctic Express N1 service. The service connects the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo to Arkhangelsk, offering a shorter shipping option compared with the Suez Canal route. Arkhangelsk is a federally significant transport hub managed under Russian jurisdiction, handling container, general, and bulk cargo. The Northern Sea Route (NSR) is a Russian state-administered shipping lane that runs along the Arctic coast of Russia, from the Kara Sea to the Bering Strait. The route is regulated by Russian federal authorities, with access requiring official permits.
Ship which damaged pipelines and cables in Gulf of Finland set sail for Bering Strait again
Two years after damaging the Balticconnector pipeline and communication cables in the Gulf of Finland, the 'Newnew Polar Bear' has set sail for the Arctic again. Ot received a permit for Russia’s Northern Sea Route on July 22 and is currently heading north in the Sea of Japan in the direction of the Bering Strait. Russian authorities cleared the vessel to transit the Arctic in both westward and eastward directions between Aug 1 and Oct 31. This will be the vessel’s first return to Europe and the Arctic since the incident. Beijing officials initially had claimed that the dragging of the anchor was an accident caused by severe storm conditions, though meteorological conditions at the time were mild for the Baltic Sea in fall. Investigators and industry experts remained skeptical that the vessel could have accidentally dragged its anchor unnoticed for more than 100 nautical miles. The 'Newnew Polar Bear' incident caused more than $40 million in damages and for months disrupted regional energy and communication infrastructure. A criminal case against the captain Wan Wenguo is currently winding its way through the Chinese court system, with another round of hearings not before September 2025.
Master of the ''NewNew Polar Bear' made his first appearance in a Hong Kong Court
On July 4, 2025, the Chinese master of the ''NewNew Polar Bear' made his first appearance in a Hong Kong Court after being charged by the Chinese maritime authority with having caused criminal damage, after the vessel was determined to have dragged its anchor across a natural gas pipeline and communication cables in the Baltic. Again, at issue is the intent or if it was reckless behavior that caused the damage. The Finish authorities have been investigating the case of the 'NewNew Polar Bear' and others in the Baltic but have yet to reach a decision if they will file charges. The utility companies Fingrid and Elering initially detained the shadow fleet tanker 'Eagle S' in the most recent incident but released the vessel while seeking compensation in the courts. The Finish prosecutors have been reviewing the details of the 'Eagle S' case, while the captain and the first and second officers of the tanker remained under suspicion and have been ordered not to leave Finland. A decision to prosecute is expected by September.
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