A group of European shipowners’ groups have thrown their weight behind the latest sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
The owners’ associations of Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Finland, as well as the UK Chamber of Shipping, said on Friday that they “stand firmly behind” the swathe of European Union blacklistings levied on Russia and Russian companies.
“We welcome the EU member states’ adoption of the fifth sanctions package including the sanctions proposed on maritime transport,” the statement read.
“We stand ready to support further measures adopted by the EU and its partners in their support of the Ukraine, including those in the maritime sector. … We call on Russia to cease the hostilities and respect international law and human rights, including the protection of all affected seafarers and the protection of lives at sea.”
The fifth package of sanctions was agreed on Friday and implements a bloc-wide ban on Russian vessels alongside freezing assets owned by Russian banks and bans on coal and other exports and imports totalling billions.
The EU said these latest sanctions bring the total to 217 blacklisted individuals and 18 entities as governments around the world look to punish Russia for its ongoing war in Ukraine, which has killed thousands of civilians.
The US has sanctioned Russian banks, ships and, most recently, shipyards and put a ban on Russian energy imports.
Traders and owners are reportedly shunning Russian oil, while several classification societies have announced moves to drop Russian clients.
The EU has also announced it would make moves to cut out Russian gas, intending to reduce its gas imports by two-thirds by the end of the year, making up the difference with renewables and gas from other sources.
The US had stepped in to try and make up some of the difference, announcing its intention to send 15bn cubic metres of LNG to Europe by the end of the year.
