UK Dockers Deny ‘Russian Gas’ LNG Tankers From Unloading

Dockers in Kent have refused to unload two tankers of Russian gas, compelling them to go elsewhere. The report was provided by a union. The LNG Tankers, Fedor Litke and Boris Vilkitsky, have reportedly been diverted from the Isle of Grain, which happens to be the largest terminal in Europe when it comes to the import of liquefied natural gas.

Matt Lay, the unison head of energy, has said that the staff was determined to support the Ukrainians and uphold the sanctions that have been imposed against Russia. But, there are still concerns regarding a certain loophole in the current sanctions.

Grant Shapps, UK’s Transport Secretary, declared on Tuesday that the UK was the first country to pass a law that bans ships — with any connection to Russia — from entering the ports.

Lay added that unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case. The Department for Transport rules only appears to cover the ownership and vessel operators, not simply the cargo.

The two tankers are loaded with an adequate amount of liquid gas to supply the UK for almost 12 days. The vessels are flying the Cyprus flag. Several shipowners opt to use a flag of another nation owing to regulatory or taxation causes.

An analysis by Simon Browning, the Business Correspondent of BBC News, suggests that as the ground war in Ukraine keeps intensifying, an economic offensive is underway with Russia.

Western governments have gotten together during the past week to enforce broader sanctions on Russia’s economy, its leaders, and businesses. Western retailers have also pulled back. But how impactful are the sanctions?

Blocking Russia’s vessels in this scenario may not be sufficient as many of Russia’s businesses use transport that was licensed and registered in other nations, such as Hong Kong, Cyprus, or The Bahamas. Experts suggest that this is a loophole in the enforcement of the sanction.

A significant amount of due diligence would have to be applied to vessel movements and regarding what each vessel is loaded with. This would need huge amounts of enforcement, which sanctions gurus opine are complicated and at the same time, substantial.

Reference: bbc.com

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