Servicing Russian tankers caused a political scandal in Denmark

A political dispute has erupted in Denmark over the servicing of vessels carrying Russian liquefied gas, which formally does not contradict EU sanctions.

A dispute has erupted in Denmark over the servicing of vessels carrying Russian LNG. This is повідомляє reported by the Danish publication DR.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has criticized the Fayard shipyard in the port of Odense for cooperating with tankers carrying Russian gas.

“I do not understand how a Danish shipyard can contribute to Russia’s war in Europe. They should stop this,” Frederiksen said, responding to reports that shipyards are helping Russia circumvent sanctions, according to media reports.

The politician’s criticism has sparked opposition from right-wing populists. Alex Arendtsen, a representative of the Danish People’s Party, said that the shipyards are allegedly not breaking the law, since the vessels do not fly the Russian flag and are not on the sanctions list.

“The prime minister should not blame the shipyards and their workers. They are not breaking any laws… If there is a problem, it should be solved at the EU level,” Arendtsen said.

Liz Beh, a representative of the Danish Democrats, shares a similar opinion, recalling that the issue has been discussed for a long time. According to her, the government should strengthen the legislation, instead of “shifting responsibility to companies.”

Back in September, the mayor of Odense asked the government to clarify the rules, as local shipyards cannot legally refuse to service tankers transporting Russian LNG. Industry Minister Morgen Bedskov acknowledged the problem, but said that the best solution would be to adopt a common policy at the EU level.

“Danish business must decide which side of history it is on. Many companies are already operating more broadly than the sanctions framework allows, and I only welcome that,” Bedskov said, urging companies to adhere not only to the law, but also to moral principles.

The EU is currently negotiating a 16th package of sanctions against Russia, which could include restrictions on Russian LNG tankers and the so-called shadow fleet.

This topic has received increased attention after an incident in the Gulf of Finland, where several submarine cables were damaged in one day. A tanker belonging to the Russian “shadow fleet” is suspected of being responsible.

The day before, USM wrote that, despite the sanctions, European shipyards are still repairing Russian ice-class gas carriers that transport liquefied gas.