Russian-flagged vessel with likely sanctioned oil stands in Batumi port

In the port of Batumi there is a vessel with Russian oil - a Russian-flagged vessel SVL PRIDE called into Georgia from the port of Kavkaz yesterday, around 6 p.m. The oil likely belongs to a sanctioned Russian company, and it is possible that the oil will be transferred to another vessel and the Russian company will thus circumvent the sanctions.

The website, which records the data of all vessels, states that SVL PRIDE is a vessel registered in Russia, it is currently stationed in the port of Batumi. This vessel was delivering oil products to Georgia.

Amiran Mikeladze, head of Batumi port trade unions, denied that the cargo belonged to Batumi port. He says that because the ship is docked, oil products are being shipped, and the cargo belongs to the Batumi Oil Terminal.

"We are not it's operators, we don't know what kind of oil it is and we don't know where it comes from," said Amiran Mikeladze.

Levan Gurgenidze, head of the oil terminal, says he does not know the origin of the ship, but insists that the ship did bring oil, but it is not a Russian cargo, but one belonging to Kazakhstan.

"The flag this ship sails under is not within our competence. I can't say where the final destination is, but the oil is of Kazakh origin. There should be nothing strange in the fact that Kazakh oil is found at a Kazakh oil terminal. Due to the activation of oil pipelines, this oil was lost from the Georgian corridor, and now, in light of recent events, the owner has decided to unload the cargo in our corridor," said Levan Gurgenidze, head of the oil terminal.