New restrictions on Russian ships

The government today announced its plans to ramp up sanctions against Russia. Essentially, the plan is to introduce extensive restrictions on Russian ships docking in Faroese ports as soon as possible.

In the past year or so, Russian vessels have transshipped, or moved, about 400,000 tonnes of fish in Faroese ports, although their demersal fish quota in Faroese waters only amounts to 100,000 tonnes.

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If the new restrictions are approved in Parliament, Russian ships will only be allowed to transship what is covered in the fisheries agreement between the Faroes and Russia, i.e. 100,000 tonnes.

This means that Russian ships will be able to transship 75 percent less than they do today.

Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen said that it is too early to make a final decision on a possible renewal of the fisheries deal with Russia for 2024. This decision will be made in the autumn.

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“We have a deal for 2023, and once it was signed, there was never any plan to annul it,” he said.

“We are, however, seeing increased Russian activities here in the North Atlantic. Most other nations in this regions have closed their ports to Russian ships. We don’t want to be a hub for Russian ships here in the North Atlantic, which is why we are introducing these restrictions.”

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Finance minister Ruth Vang said that the new measures are unlikely to have any significant short-term effect on the Faroese economy.

She added that the Faroes have donated DKK 10 million to Ukraine this year, and another DKK 10 million is earmarked for Ukraine next year.

Foreign minister Høgni Hoydal said that the new measures put the Faroes on an equal footing with other European nations in terms of sanctions against Russia.

“Other countries can no longer accuse us in the Faroes of not taking responsibility with regards to Russia.”

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

Hear this morning’s press conference (in Faroese) here.

More Faroese News in English.