Wan Wenguo, 43, captain of the Hong Kong-flagged container ship NewNew Polar Bear, pleaded not guilty in Eastern Court on Wednesday. He faces charges for damaging the Balticconnector, a 77km natural gas pipeline connecting Estonia and Finland, in 2023. The damage happened on October 8, 2023, while the ship sailed through the Gulf of Finland. Wan also denies two navigation safety violations, including not having enough anchors and failing to send daily reports from October to December 2023, as required by law. Prosecutors will present 18 witnesses, including three experts. Defence lawyer Jerry Chung Ming-shing said Wan will testify in court. The defence will challenge the captain's responsibility, question crew testimonies, and examine technical vessel issues.