Labour’s Sanctioned Russian Ship Seizure Plan Hits Snags Amid Cost Concerns
Labour has been accused of “dragging its feet” over seizing sanctioned Russian vessels due to concerns about the high cost of maintaining them. In March, Sir Keir Starmer vowed to take action against the Kremlin’s oil tankers flying “fake” flags as they navigate through British waters.
The plan, which involves the National Crime Agency‘s special forces and officers boarding vessels and seizing them, has hit a trio of walls in SW1. Firstly, Government departments are at odds over whose jurisdiction the plans fall under, while the Department for Transport (DfT) has been slammed for “dragging its feet” over the plans.
Cost Concerns Weigh Heavily on Labour’s Sanctioned Russian Ship Seizure Plan
Whitehall workers are fearing the hefty price of carrying out the PM’s orders could soar to tens of millions of pounds. They have cited a Panamanian-registered vessel, seized by the Irish back in September 2023, as an example. Maintenance, security, and berthing of the ship have already swallowed more than £10 million.
Storage Concerns Add to Labour’s Sanctioned Russian Ship Seizure Plan Challenges
Furthermore, civil servants are unsure about where to store the gigantic tankers if they were to even seize one in the first place. So far, the UK has only assisted in seizing Russian tankers at sea. Earlier this year, the Royal Navy helped the US to take on the tanker Marinera.
Russia’s Shadow Fleet Remains a Concern
Russia’s shadow fleet currently consists of around 700 ships, all responsible for carrying 40 per cent of all Russian oil exports. Of these 700, Britain has slapped sanctions on 544 vessels. Last November, it was revealed that their vessels were flying “false” flags to dodge sanctions originally placed on Moscow’s fleet over the Ukraine war.
Accurate Flagging a Key Concern
Accurate and truly representative flags are legal requirements for ships at sea under maritime law – and are deemed a form of fraud. Just a day after Sir Keir cracked the whip over the matter, an oil tanker was spotted sailing through British waters just one day later. The VAYU 1 was as close as six nautical miles off the coast of Dover.
Enforcement Action Considered on a Case-by-Case Basis
When asked why the vessel had not been stopped, the Ministry of Defence said “any enforcement action is considered on a case-by-case basis”. The oil tanker set off from Murmansk, Russia on March 10 and first sailed into UK waters on March 26.
Original Article: Labour ‘dragging its feet’ over seizure of sanctioned Russian ships amid money worries — Gbnews