Gov’t agency rejects TV report on Russian tanker “assisted to circumvent sanctions” in Batumi port

The Georgian Maritime Transport Agency has rejected a TV report that alleged a Russian tanker had been provided with services in Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi in circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. 

The Agency was responding to a report of the opposition-minded TV Pirveli channel about SVL Pride, a Russian-flagged tanker that entered the Batumi Port on Monday with a transit cargo of 5,000 tonnes of diesel fuel designated for Armenia.

The maritime body said the unloading of the product from the vessel had been carried out in “compliance with both domestic and international norms,” noting the fifth package of the European Union sanctions involving a ban on Russian-flagged vessels entering EU ports, did not apply to energy products, agriculture, food and humanitarian aid. 

The services rendered to the tanker do not constitute a breach of sanctions or aiding a circumvention of sanctions,” the statement said.

The TV Pirveli report was aired earlier today and noted the Port did not explain to the reporters whether it had been used for transit purposes.