Russia Ukraine confiscates freighter after calling at Sevastopol

The Ukrainian authorities have detained a freighter on the Danube because it is alleged to have illegally called at the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which is annexed by Russia. The ship "Usko MFU" moored illegally in the port of Sevastopol, which Ukraine has declared closed, in November 2023 and May 2024, the public prosecutor's office announced.

On the first occasion, over 3,000 tons of agricultural goods were loaded for a Turkish company, it added. On the second trip, cargo from Turkey was again brought to Sevastopol. Both times, the ship had switched off the Automatic Identification System (AIS) in order to conceal the route.

The cargo ship, flying the flag of Cameroon, sailed downstream from the Moldovan Danube port of Giurgiulesti towards the Black Sea. It was detained in the Ukrainian port of Reni in the Odessa region.

The Azerbaijani captain must now answer for deliberately entering and leaving the occupied territories illegally. He faces up to five years in prison. There were twelve other crew members on board. According to Lloyds List, a website specializing in shipping, the freighter was already detained last Thursday.

The Ukrainian authorities closed the port of Sevastopol and other ports in Crimea to shipping in July 2014 following the illegal Russian annexation. In 2016, another ship in Reni was seized by the Ukrainian authorities for calling at ports in Crimea. According to Lloyd's List, this ship remains in the port.