Norway Holds Sanctioned Chinese-Owned Ship Over Invalid Flag and Certificates

Ya Qing Hai Yang remains detained in Andfjorden, northern Norway, following a port state inspection on October 13, the Norwegian Maritime Authority told The New Backyard on October 21.

The vessel must secure valid registration and certificates from its new flag state before the authority can complete its inspection. A second Chinese-owned vessel, Jian Yang Cheng He, is also anchored in the fjord, awaiting a separate inspection when weather conditions permit.

The confirmation establishes the current status of a maritime case involving Norwegian inspections, Chinese diplomatic interests and a vessel previously sanctioned over its role in Russia’s Arctic energy industry.

Inspectors found flag and certificate failures

Dag Inge Aarhus, communications director at the Norwegian Maritime Authority, said inspectors discovered that Ya Qing Hai Yang lacked a valid flag and the correct certificates.

“The ship is detained until further notice,” Aarhus told The New Backyard, in a statement translated from Norwegian.

The ship must now put its registration in order and obtain valid certificates from its new flag state. The authority will then complete the port state control process.

Such inspections allow authorities to examine foreign vessels’ compliance with international maritime requirements. In this case, registration and certification are the stated grounds for keeping the vessel detained.

Aarhus confirmed October 13 as the inspection date, clarifying part of a timeline that had appeared with conflicting dates in the European THETIS inspection database.

Second vessel awaits inspection

Both Chinese-owned ships sought shelter in Andfjorden because of poor weather, according to the authority.

Officials plan to inspect Jian Yang Cheng He when conditions allow personnel to conduct the operation. The authority’s statement establishes different positions for the two vessels: Ya Qing Hai Yang is detained following inspection, while Jian Yang Cheng He awaits its port state control.

The Norwegian Coastal Administration’s Vardø Vessel Traffic Service is monitoring the situation. Both ships remained in the fjord at the time of Wednesday’s statement.

Chinese embassy calls for protection of crew and vessel

The Chinese Embassy in Oslo responded to The New Backyard’s questions on October 19.

The embassy said it was still awaiting details. It called on Norway to safeguard the safety, legitimate rights and interests of the vessel and crew, conditional on confirmation of their Chinese nationality.

The response focused on their treatment. Questions about cargo, destinations, certificate findings and sanctions compliance remain open.

Detention brings renewed attention to Russia connection

Ya Qing Hai Yang, also known as Ocean 28, was placed under United States sanctions on January 10, 2025. The vessel previously transported power-generation modules for Arctic LNG 2, Russia’s liquefied natural gas project.

That history gives the case wider significance as European governments scrutinize maritime support for Russian energy operations.

The Norwegian Maritime Authority’s latest statement identifies flag and certificate deficiencies as the grounds for detention. The next steps are valid registration, certificates from the new flag state and completion of the Norwegian inspection.