GreenergyDaily

Jan. 20, 2026

A lawyer for a Chinese captain of a Hong Kong-registered ship alleged to have damaged undersea cables in the Baltic Sea said on Tuesday 18 witnesses would be called to testify in the case.

Wan Wenguo, the captain of the container ship NewNew Polar Bear, is alleged to have caused "criminal damage" to an underwater natural gas pipeline and submarine telecom cables between Finland and Estonia on October 8, 2023, according to a Hong Kong charge sheet reviewed by Reuters.

Wan, 43, appeared in court on Tuesday but his lawyer, Jerry Chung, said more time was needed to go through documents before entering a plea. The case was adjourned to February 11.

Chung told reporters 10 witnesses would testify for the criminal damage charge, including crew members, Hong Kong officials, and two experts in maritime matters. The maximum punishment is two years in prison, Chung added.

Finnish authorities allege the NewNew Polar Bear severed the subsea gas pipeline, the Balticconnector, which links Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea, by dragging its anchor along the seabed.

Estonian police suspect the ship also damaged telecoms cables connecting Estonia to Finland and Sweden before hitting the pipeline.

Wan also faces two charges of failing to ensure the ship complied with safety requirements applying to Hong Kong-registered ships worldwide, under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

Chung said these involved the disappearance of one anchor on the ship; and Wan's failure to report daily to his ship's company. For these two infractions, eight other witnesses would be called, Chung added.