Ships blocked in Mariupol have moved - they can take out stolen metal and grain
WEDNESDAY, 25 MAY 2022, 6:53 PM - DANA GORDIYCHUK
A satellite has recorded the movement of ships in the temporarily occupied port of Mariupol which the Russian occupiers could use to export Ukrainian metal and grain.
This was reported by Skhemi (Radio Liberty), with reference to satellite images from Planet Labs that the editorial office has in its possession.
The photos show that two cargo ships, the Lady Augusta (Jamaica, North America) and the Tzarevna (Malta), moved on 24 May to berths where Mariupol City Council says the grain terminal is located and produce is usually shipped from. In total, there are 6 foreign vessels in the port, as previously reported by Ekonomichna Pravda.
The Tzarevna was previously located near other berths in the port where, according to Mariupol City Council, metal products are usually loaded. This is evidenced by a satellite image for 11 May. The Lady Augusta was moored nearby.
Three other vessels have now moved to the metal loading berths. These are the Blue Star-1 (Panama, Central America), the Azburg (Dominica) and the Azov Concord (Malta).
Earlier, according to a photo dated 11 May, they were berthed near one of the exits to the Sea of Azov, called the "New Gate". At the time, the satellite recorded another ship next to them, the Smarta (Liberia).
The port’s director, Ihor Barsky, told reporters that the vast majority of the metal belongs to Rinat Akhmetov's company, Metinvest. Metinvest added that some of the metal products had already been loaded onto the Tzarevna, which had remained in the port. Prior to the full-scale invasion, these products were being prepared for export to Italy.
The other metals and cast iron in the port, Metinvest said, are products from Azovstal and the Illich Iron & Steel Works, which came under constant fire from the Russian military during the occupation.
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boichenko said that access to the sea through the "old gate" that has been unblocked by the occupiers may be unsuitable because the depth is too shallow for most of the blocked vessels. To unlock the new gate, the occupiers will have to raise another sunken ship, the Meotida. But that would require cranes, and there is no electricity to power them due to damage to the port’s substation.
Reminder:
The Russian occupiers are trying to partially rebuild the port in occupied Mariupol, which is home to Ukrainian metal and grain, signalling their intention to export stolen Ukrainian property.
According to Ihor Barsky, the director of the port, on 23 February there were about 200,000 tonnes of metal and cast iron in the port worth $170 million. The amount of grain was significantly less - 3,400 tonnes in warehouses and another 9,000 tonnes on a foreign-flagged ship in one of the berths.
The occupiers have now unblocked the old port gates. Given that the depth is about 3.5 m, shallow-draught river-type vessels may be able to enter here. However, Russian ships cannot enter the port until the port area is cleared of sunken maritime shipping. According to Barsky, the occupiers can clear 3-4 berths out of 18.
Currently the port has one undamaged autonomous floating crane that runs on diesel fuel - this could be used to export stolen Ukrainian metal. The Russian occupiers are now repairing the heavy loaders that would be needed for this.
