The ban on Russian vessels entering Irish ports on the foot of sanctions from the European Union amid the continuing invasion of Ukraine is being extended to locks from the Friday (29 July).

An amended version of Marine Notice No 19 of 2022, attached below, outlines that all Irish ports (after 16 April) and locks (after 29 July) are directed to deny entry to any ship, yacht or recreational craft registered under the flag of Russia.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, exceptions may be made, pending approval by the relevant authorities, for the transport of fossil fuels; metals and chemicals; pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural and food products; and humanitarian purposes.

The ban is also waived in the case of a vessel in need of assistance seeking a place of refuge, of an emergency port call for reasons of maritime safety, or for saving life at sea.

Russian vessels will be denied entry into Irish ports after this Saturday 16 April on the foot of sanctions from the European Union amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

As the latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport outlines, all Irish ports are directed to deny entry to any ship, yacht or recreational craft registered under the flag of Russia.

The ban also applies to any such vessel that changed the registration or flag of the vessel from the Russian Federation to another state on or after 24 February this year.

Exceptions may be made, pending approval by the relevant authorities, for the transport of fossil fuels; metals and chemicals; pharmaceutical, medical, agricultural and food products; and humanitarian purposes.

The ban is also waived in the case of a vessel in need of assistance seeking a place of refuge, of an emergency port call for reasons of maritime safety, or for saving life at sea.

Further details can be found in Marine Notice No 19 of 2022, attached below.

A superyacht owned by a Russian billionaire businessman has been seized by Italian police in the same week as he was targeted by EU sanctions in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

As the Guardian reports, mining magnate Alexei Mordashov’s 65m yacht Lady M was impounded in the port of Imperia, a city on Italy’s Ligurian Sea coast.

Two other Russian oligarchs also had yachts seized in Imperia and La Ciotat, between Nice and Toulon in France, as the European Union moved to freeze assets in reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which began in 24 February.

Lady M — which visited Belfast and Cumbria in 2017 — was delivered in 2013 by US yacht builder Palmer Johnson and is valued by Forbes magazine at some $27 million.

The Guardian has more on the story HERE.