In First, Chinese Cargo Ship Docks in Sanctioned Crimean Port
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In First, Chinese Cargo Ship Docks in Sanctioned Crimean Port – FT
A Chinese-owned cargo vessel has docked in the port of Sevastopol for the first time since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. The Panama-flagged container ship Heng Yang 9 has stopped in Crimea at least three times in recent months.
The series of stops by a foreign tanker in Sevastopol, which is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine and is barred by Western sanctions, is unprecedented.
The Panama-flagged container ship Heng Yang 9, operated by the Guangxi Changhai Shipping Company, has stopped in Crimea at least three times in recent months, the FT said, citing Ukrainian officials.
The vessel moored in Sevastopol on Sept. 14 after departing Istanbul on Sept. 2 and stopping near the southern Russian port of Novorossiysk four days later.
While the crew later declared it was heading to the Port Kavkaz, satellite images from the European Space Agency on Sept. 9 and 11 showed the ship had diverted to Sevastopol.
According to the FT, the vessel repeatedly falsified its transponder data during the two-week voyage in the Black Sea to conceal its movements.
Chinese vessel entered occupied Sevastopol three times, violating ban – FT
The Chinese cargo ship Heng Yang 9, flying the Panamanian flag, has entered the port of temporarily occupied Sevastopol at least three times. Use of ports in Crimea by foreign vessels has been prohibited since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea.
Details
The use of ports in Crimea by foreign vessels has been prohibited since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. And although China has not adopted Western sanctions against Russia, its merchant ships had not previously entered ports controlled by Russia.
According to Ukrainian officials, the Panamanian-flagged vessel Heng Yang 9, owned and operated by Guangxi Changhai Shipping Company, based in Guangxi, has been spotted in Crimea at least three times in recent months.
The vessel was in the port of Sevastopol from June 19 to 22 – this was its first visit to Sevastopol, the President’s office told FT. According to Ukrainian officials, on August 15, the vessel also requested entry to load 101 containers.