A Chinese ship remains the focus of the investigation into Baltic Sea gas pipeline damaged last year

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Authorities in Finland say a Chinese container ship remains the focus of an investigation into what caused damage last year to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline between NATO members Finland and Estonia. It has been more than six months since substantial damage caused a major drop in pressure first detected in the Balticconnector pipeline in Finnish economic waters on Oct. 8. Finland and Estonia’s gas system operators were forced to shut it down. The pipeline was reopened this week after repair works. Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said Thursday that it still believes that an anchor of the Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel Newnew Polar Bear ship caused the damage detected in Balticconnector.