Tanker with Russian oil still not docked in Port of Amsterdam
The controversial tanker Sunny Liger, bearing a cargo of Russian oil, has still not docked in the Port of Amsterdam, according to the NOS. The ship has been anchored about 40 kilometers off IJmuiden since Friday evening, and not yet made a request to dock.
Port employees refuse to unload the oil tanker after the FNV Havens trade union urged them to show solidarity with dock workers in Sweden, who previously refused to unload the vessel. "We support the port employees," said a spokesperson for Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema.
A spokesperson for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also addressed Amsterdam dock workers in a tweet. "Keep your feet off Sunny Liger. Deny service to it. Refuse to unload its cargo. Disassociate the Dutch people from Russian money soaked with the blood of Ukrainian children and women," tweeted Oleg Nikolenko.
We also call on dockworkers in Amsterdam: follow suit of your Swedish colleagues. Keep your feet off Sunny Liger. Deny service to it. Refuse to unload its cargo. Disassociate the Dutch people from Russian money soaked with the blood of Ukrainian children and women.
— Oleg Nikolenko (@OlegNikolenko_) April 30, 2022
Oram, a business association for port companies, expressed safety concerns about the ship docking. "We are concerned about public order issues if the ship were to dock in the port," director Kees Noorman told the NOS.
It is unclear what move the Sunny Liger will make next, officials said. Although it is loaded with Russian oil, the ship flies under the flag of the Marshall Islands and therefore sanctions do not apply to it. However, even if the ship does officially request to dock, there is no guarantee that port employees will help it moor, tow or navigate, according to the NOS. This could create a safety hazard.
Noorman said it is possible the vessel will not try to dock at all. "It could therefore just be that they say: 'it is getting too difficult here, we will raise the anchor and we will go to another port where we can get rid of the oil,'" he said.