Ship banned from Tall Ships Race due to Russian sanctions turned away at Orkney
The Russian-born captain said he still intended to sail across the North Sea with the Tall Ships Races despite being banned from several ports on the route.
A ship banned from this weekend’s Tall Ships Races in Aberdeen due to Russian sanctions has now been turned away from Orkney as the captain vowed to press on towards the Granite City.
The TS Shtandart was turned away by HM Coastguard as it attempted to anchor off the Orkney coast this afternoon (Thursday).
Earlier this week, captain Vladimir Martus learned the ship had been banned from the Port of Aberdeen and had its Tall Ships Races registration revoked due to sanctions designed to pressure Russia into ending its war with Ukraine.
Mr Martus, was born in Russia but said he was half Ukrainian and now a tax citizen of Germany who had never supported the war.
After being turned away from Orkney, Mr Martus and his crew of 22 , which represent 13 different nationalities aged between 18 and 70, is now set to anchor of Dunnett Head in Caithness tonight.
Mr Martus said: “They were very polite and very nice at Orkney but we are currently in a very difficult situation.
“I do not think it is fair that we were not allowed to anchor at Orkney. There is no legal right to ban the ship.”
The ship, based on an early 18th Century flagship of Peter the Great, is a replica traditionally-crafted boat used for sail training, which did not qualify for sanctions, Mr Martus said.
The ship dropped the Russian flag in June last year and now sails under Cook Islands colours following guidance from French authorities.
However, the Port of Aberdeen said sanctions applied as the Russian flag was still in use after the relevant legislation which bans Russian vessels from British waters was introduced in 2022.
Mr Martus and his crew have sailed from Dunkirk in order to take part in the Tall Ships Races this weekend, with around 50 vessels from around the world to gather in Aberdeen from Friday.
The captain said he still planned to sail close to Aberdeen to join the starting line for the next leg of the race across the North Sea to Norway.
Some crew members are set to disembark the ship close to Aberdeen and sail ashore in dinghies.
The captain has already been told that he will be denied entry to Kristiansand in Norway and Esbjerg in Denmark.
The decision led to Port of Aberdeen to also ban the ship from entry, with the race organisers, Sail Training International , cancelling his registration.
“We are going to start the race and race according to the rules. The sea is for everyone,” Mr Martus said.
The Shtandart has sailed across Europe since 1999, providing training for young sailors and taking part in maritime festivals, including previous Tall Ship Races.
Mr Martus earlier told The Scotsman that he last visited Russia 10 years ago.
But he now confirmed that he visited the country of his birth in 2022 for two weeks on a business trip to update his seaman’s book.
The Department for Transport is due to comment.
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