Protesters block entry of Greek tanker with Russian cargo into UK port

Greenpeace protesters blocked the entry of a Greek tanker into a port in the south of England because it was carrying cargo with Russian fuel, with the police making arrests, the organization announced on Monday, according to Reuters.

It is noted that Britain and the European Union have respectively banned the entry of ships with Russian flags in their ports, with exceptions, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The United Kingdom has announced that it will phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year, meaning that foreign-flagged ships carrying Russian fuel can still arrive in port at this time.

Greenpeace reported that 12 activists occupied a pier Sunday night in the Navigator Terminals area of ​​Essex, where the Greek-flagged Andromeda tanker was expected to unload its cargo.

Essex police said Monday that police were called to the scene late Sunday night. According to police, eight people have been arrested so far.

“The police are not against the protests, but we must intervene when there is a danger to life or when there is a suspicion that laws are being violated,” police said, without elaborating.

In recent weeks, some ships carrying Russian cargo have changed course following protests in both UK and EU ports.

Refinitiv ship tracking data showed that Andromeda had previously approached the Russian port of Primorsk and was almost fully loaded. The ship was anchored off the coast of Essex on Monday and reported the Isle of Grain in nearby Kent as its next destination, according to ship tracking data.

The Athens-based tanker manager, Tsakos Columbia Shipmanagement, did not respond to a request for comment, according to Reuters.