In a bid to enforce sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, French authorities have intercepted two Russian-flagged vessels.
French media including Le Marin report that the 38,600-dwt handysize Pola Ariake (built 2019) and the 8,200-dwt general cargo ship Victor Andryukhin (built 2021) were seized while berthing at different parts of the country.
Customs officers blocked the Pola Ariake at the Atlantic port of Lorient while the Victor Andryukhin was arrested at Fos-sur-Mer, near Marseille.
The arrests took place just a few days after French authorities operating in the English Channel intercepted the 8,831-gt Baltic Leader (built 2000) on 26 February.
The Pola Ariake unloaded a cargo of soya from Ukraine.
The Victor Andryukhin was underway from the Spanish port of Castellon and arrived at Fos to load steel reels at an ArcelorMittal facility.
Just as the Victor Andryukhin was about to load, French customs intervened to carry out a “verification”, Le Marin cited a source as saying. The vessel's crew of 12 remains on board while the vessel is berthed at an anchorage near Marseille.
Russian leasing companies in the spotlight
“We are confirming that the ship was immobilised for controls in the framework of sanctions pronounced against Russia,” a customs official said on the Victor Andryukhin, according to Le Marin.
Both the Pola Ariake and the Victor Andryukhin are listed under ownership of the State Transport Leasing Company (GLTK).
The company describes itself on its website as Russia’s largest leasing company and “an instrument of state management policy and sustainable development of the transport industry in Russia”.
State-run GTLK doesn’t appear itself on the extensive sanctions lists announced by the US and the European Union (EU) in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Pola Ariake is managed by Pola Maritime.
Managers at GTLK didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
GTLK owns a majority stake in a huge $1.46bn Russian Arctic floating storage unit (FSU) project.
The Baltic Leader, by contrast, the first Russian ship French authorities seized, has more obvious links to a blacklisted entity.
The ro-ro vessel, which French authorities arrested on 26 February, is believed to be controlled by PSB Leasing — an entity sanctioned by the US shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine.
The Baltic Leader was diverted to the French port of Boulogne-sur-Mer while it was transporting cars to the Russian city of St Petersburg. Vessel trackers still show it at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
In other related measures, the UK government told the country’s ports on 28 February to turn away Russian ships.
The EU, the rotating presidency of which is currently held by France, is said to be considering a similar move. The 27-country bloc, however, has announced no such measures yet.
((This story was updated since original publication to include information on the Pola Ariake))
