EU ports ask bloc for ‘clear list’ of banned Russian vessels
European ports have asked Brussels for a “clear list” of Russian vessels that need to be banned following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) expressed its support for the EU’s latest round of sanctions against Russia but stressed the importance of having a clear and uniform approach to the boycott in order to avoid supply chain disruption in the bloc.
“The governments and competent authorities in the member states must put everything in place to guarantee a smooth implementation of this decision and limit further disruption of the EU supply chain,” it said in a statement.
ESPO called on member states to plan enough staff to avoid delays, as the ban on Russian and imports imply “a lot of additional checks to be done in ports,” which in turn could create additional congestion.
Under the latest round of sanctions, which was agreed upon on Friday, the EU has banned all Moscow’s vessels to enter its borders until August, except for agricultural products, humanitarian aid and energy.