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Container ship in the port of St. Petersburg: Will German ships be detained here soon?
Photo: Igor Russak / dpa
German shipowners are worried about the safety of their seafarers given the new sanctions imposed as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"We fear possible countermeasures by the Russian side with regard to the closure of European ports for Russian ships ordered by the EU," said the President of the Association of German Shipowners (VDR), Gaby Bornheim.
“There is a risk that our ships will be tied up in Russian ports.
We appeal not to allow seafarers and civilian merchant ships to become pawns in this conflict.«
The EU countries had previously decided to close EU ports for Russian ships.
The fifth sanctions package of the 27 EU states also includes the coal embargo against Russia proposed by the EU Commission as well as further punitive measures against Russian banks.
The new punitive measures were proposed after scores of dead civilians were found in the Ukrainian town of Bucha following the withdrawal of Russian troops.
Shipowners are committed to sanctions
"Our main concern remains our seafarers," said Bornheim.
Her association and its members would support the new sanctions against Russia - "even if import bans for cargo such as coal have an impact on German shipping companies," said the VDR boss.
"However, the ongoing attacks by the Russian army and in particular the atrocities that have now come to light have made such a response necessary."
But not only the Russian ports are a problem for the shipping companies.
As of the end of March, dozens of ships from the international merchant fleet were still stuck in ports on the Ukrainian coast, including several ships from German shipping companies.
Escaping the contested and partly mined waters seemed difficult.
The shipowners demanded the creation of "blue" sea corridors so that merchant ships and their crews could leave the war zone.
These had been proposed by the World Maritime Organization IMO.
Apr/Reuters
