Dutch general cargo ship ZUIDVLIET was detained by Russian Coast Guard without any plausible reason given, in Azov sea at 0830 UTC Jul 24, while en route from Constanta Romania to Mariupol, Ukrainian port in Azov sea. The ship was allowed to resumed voyage 2 hours later. Prior to that, the ship was refused in Kerch Strait transit, having to wait for permission for some 24 hours.

During recent months, Russia in fact, launched a sea blockade of Ukrainian ports in Azov sea, harassing cargo ships which are calling these ports, notwithstanding their flag and ownership, find more http://maritimebulletin.net/2018/07/05/russian-coast-guards-detain-seven-ships-off-ukraine-coast-in-sea-of-azov/

Andrey Klimenko

Black Sea News

Comment:

Russia unleashed war on Ukraine and is using all means at its’ disposal to harm Ukraine in any way it can. This latest in the line of many, sea aggression, can’t be met by adequate military response, simply because Ukraine doesn’t have Navy, at least yet. This blockade is a noose on Ukraine’s Azov sea neck, and Russia is slowly tightening it, dooming thousands of ports’ workers to loss of their jobs and income, and undermining Ukrainian economy in general.

Ukraine now is trying to stop blockade by initiating new sanctions, which may seriously disrupt Russian shipping in Black sea, like it happened to Crimean shipping. Be such sanctions accepted by international community, and imposed on Russian Black sea ports (one of three main Russian sea gates into the world), Russia will capitulate. Crimean ports (Crimea – annexed by Russia Ukrainian Peninsula) are negligible if talking about sanctions impact on Russian economy, but Black sea ports, lead by Novorossiysk, are an absolutely different matter.

Voytenko Mikhail

July 24, 2018

General cargo ship ZUIDVLIET, IMO 9629809, dwt 3850, built 2014, flag Netherlands, manager Zuidvliet BV NLD.