Netherlands: Dock workers refuse to unload tanker full of Russian oil

Dockworkers in Amsterdam, Netherlands are refusing to unload a tanker carrying Russian diesel, a day after a similar action by dockers prevented the ship from entering Rotterdam port. On Saturday, the Sunny Liger, a 42,000-tonne tanker, was anchored off the coast of Amsterdam, with port officials considering her entry into the Dutch capital. Workers at a Rotterdam pier refused to touch her cargo on Friday as well.

"SunnyLiger with Russian oil sails to the Port of Amsterdam. The ship is expected at Evos A'dam at 11:45 PM. Called the company and made an URGENT appeal to them not to treat this ship! In addition, towage company Svizer requested not to tow this vessel," Asmae Hajjari, chairwoman of the FNV's harbour worker chapter, wrote on Twitter.

In a subsequent tweet, she added, "the ship will NOT enter the Port of Amsterdam tonight. This means that the ship will remain at anchorage outside the sea lock for the time being @FNV Havens."

On May 2, Hajjari tweeted, "The infamous UNWANTED ship #SunnyLiger is still bobbing outside the sea lock. Position #FNV Ports: Our Swedish colleagues refused to treat this ship. So we are not going to cover it in the #Rotterdamsehaven & not in the #Amsterdamsehaven"

'Russian ship could not be denied entry into a Dutch port legally'

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the European Union has placed a slew of sanctions on Moscow. Oil and gas, on the other hand, are not included in the sanctions. Wopke Hoekstra, the Dutch foreign minister, said Friday that while the Sunny Liger could not be denied entry into a Dutch port legally, he supported the dock workers' actions. The ship had already been turned away by dockworkers in Sweden, and it was heading for the Netherlands.

"The cargo is fueling Russia's war in Ukraine," the FNV union said in a statement congratulating the Swedish workers for refusing to board the ship.

According to the maritime website MarineTraffic.com, the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker set off from Primorsk near Russia's St Petersburg a week ago with a final destination of Amsterdam. According to the Dutch commercial news channel RTL Nieuws, the corporation in charge of towing the ship into port indicated it would withdraw if requested, citing the risk of a hazardous situation if demonstrators attempted to block the ship from entering.

(With agency inputs)

Image: AP