Ship diverted and another waiting to leave Wales amid UK Government Russian ban

One Russian oil tanker scheduled to dock in Wales has been diverted while another remains in port following a decision by the UK Government to effectively ban Russian ships from docking at UK ports.

The UK Government announced it was stopping ships docking at ports across the UK on Monday (February 28) as part of sanctions imposed in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

In a letter written to port authorities, UK Government transport secretary Grant Shapps asked ports to block access to Russian “flagged, registered, owned, controlled, chartered or operated vessels”.

An oil tanker, Louie, left the oil loading port of Primorsk in Russia and was due in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, last Friday. However, shipping data from Vessel Finder shows its destination was updated to Antwerp in Belgium, where it left this afternoon.

Another tanker, Pluto, arrived at Milford Haven from Primorsk on February 26, before the ban, and remains in Pembrokeshire. It is scheduled to leave for Derry in Northern Ireland tomorrow.

Both Louie and Pluto carry cargo from Primorsk, but fly under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven told WalesOnline that the sanctions were tricky to impose, adding that if cargo on a Russian ship was owned by non-Russians and had left Russian waters, it was no longer considered Russian, she said.

The port said it didn’t have the power to unilaterally apply sanctions to a vessel bound for it, but would seek clarification on every vessel to check whether sanctions apply.

It would not permit entry to any vessel it had reason to believe was owned, controlled, chartered, or operated by any person connected with Russia.

The UK imports 6% of its crude oil from Russia and Milford Haven Port handles tanker deliveries to local oil and gas refineries serving the Valero Refinery, one of the largest manufacturers of fuels in north western Europe. 

However, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has warned that some ships are using ‘flags of convenience’ to get around the UK embargo.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has urged the UK Government to act quickly to prevent loopholes.

In a letter to port operators, he said the government would “support UK ports in identifying Russian ships”.

Mr Shapps has written to ports outlining what sanctions apply.