Greece-Based Tanker Carrying Russian Cargo Blocked From Entering UK Port

Greenpeace protesters have reportedly prevented the entry of a Greece-based tanker into a southern English port as it had fuel cargo from Russia and the police was arresting, the green group declared on Monday. The EU and Britain have banned Russian-flagged ships from ports, with certain exemptions, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine that the Kremlin refers to as a special operation.

The UK has said it will be phasing out the imports of Russia’s oil by the end of the year, which has meant that foreign-flagged vessels loaded with Russian cargoes can continue calling at the ports for the time being. Greenpeace mentioned that 12 activists on Sunday evening were occupying a jetty at the Navigator Terminals’ Thames site in Essex. This is where the Greek-flagged Andromeda oil products tanker was likely to discharge cargo.

Essex Police mentioned on Monday that the site had been cleared after officers had been called to the Navigators Terminal late on Sunday evening. As of 12.40 GMT they had made 15 arrests, and they remained in custody. Greenpeace said that 15 activists arrested included the team who had been on a boat near the jetty.

A spokesperson for Navigator Terminals had referred the comment to the Essex Police. The Athens-based manager of the tanker, Tsakos Columbia Shipmanagement, did not respond to a request for comments immediately.

Over the recent weeks, several ships loaded with Russia’s cargoes have altered their courses after protests at both the EU and UK ports.

Refinitiv ship-tracking data reflected that Andromeda had earlier called at Primorsk in Russia and was then nearly fully laden. The vessel had been anchored off the coast of Essex on Monday and it reported the Isle of Grain at the nearby Kent as its next destination, the ship-tracking data reflected.