Russia Orders Diver Inspections at Ports After Tanker Blasts

By Robert Harvey

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) – Russia has ordered divers to inspect ships in its ports, a government letter seen by Reuters shows, after suspected attacks on four oil tankers that visited in recent weeks. 

At the same time the Russian navy will help protect from the threat of drones and unmanned vessels, it said. 

Three oil tankers around the Mediterranean, and another in the Russian Baltic, have been damaged by blasts in the last month. 

All four had recently called at Russian ports, according to shipping sources and ship tracking data.

The causes of the incidents remain unclear.

Italy has launched a terrorism investigation after two explosions blew a hole below the waterline of the Greek-operated oil tanker Seajewel while it was anchored on Saturday off the southern port of Savona-Vado and discharging oil.

Russia, in a letter issued by the transport ministry and the federal agency for sea and river transport, instructs seaports to inform shipowners that vessels will need to be inspected upon arrival.

It calls this a necessary measure for “anti-terrorist protection” for both vessels and port infrastructure citing an “increasing threat” to transport infrastructure and vessels transporting “dangerous and high-risk goods.” 

Divers and equipment will inspect ships to detect “foreign objects and explosives” below water level, said the letter, which was dated Feb. 14. 

The divers will be provided by the Ministry of Defence and the National Guard, with the inspections to be organized by state enterprise Rosmorport, it said.

In addition to the incidents in the Mediterranean, the Suezmax tanker Koala ran aground in Russia’s oil terminal port of Ust-Luga after a blast in its engine room earlier this month.

(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Robert Harvey, editing by Sharon Singleton)

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