UK becomes first country to ban Russian ships from accessing ports

The UK has become the first country to pass a law banning all Russian ships from docking at its ports, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced this morning.

“At London’s Foreign Office where we’ve just become the first nation to pass a law involving a total BAN of ALL ships with ANY Russian connection whatsoever from entering British ports,” he said in a tweet. “Please retweet to encourage all countries to do the same in support of the people of Ukraine.”

At London’s Foreign Office where we’ve just become the first nation to pass a law involving a total BAN of ALL ships with ANY Russian connection whatsoever from entering British ports.

Please RT to encourage all countries to do the same in support of the people of #Ukraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/yjI9NRD6E3

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) March 1, 2022

The government’s decision comes a day after Shapps wrote to all UK ports asking them to deny access to all Russian owned, controlled, chartered and operated vessels.

“Given Putin’s action in Ukraine I’ve made clear these vessels are not welcome here,” he tweeted yesterday, making it clear the government would help ports to identify Russian vessels.

Today I’ve written to all UK ports asking them not to provide access to any Russian flagged, registered, owned, controlled, chartered or operated vessels.

Given Putin’s action in #Ukraine I’ve made clear these vessels are NOT welcome here with prohibiting legislation to follow. pic.twitter.com/5pKzfvcbGi

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) February 28, 2022

Despite some initial doubts about the sanction’s feasibility, UK ports accepted the resolution saying they would be working alongside ministers to “stand against an unprovoked, premeditated attack against a sovereign democratic state.”