In solidarity with Ukraine, one of Sweden's two major dockworkers' unions, Hamnarbetarförbundet, took the rare step in late March to refuse to touch ships linked to Russia.

The 150-meter bulk carrier, operated under the flag of the Bahamas by a Swedish subsidiary of the Russian shipowner Baltic Shipping based in Saint Petersburg, is among the first to be targeted by this boycott.

"We block all goods that have to do with Russia and the regime," Rolf Lyktoft, who heads the union's local branch, told AFP.

Should vessels linked to Russia be banned from European Union ports, as demanded by Ukraine and its President Zelensky?

The question is thorny but the measure is envisaged within the framework of the new package of sanctions which the EU must discuss on Wednesday in Brussels, learned AFP from a European source.

For the time being, neither the Union nor any of its 27 Member States at national level have made this choice, unlike the United Kingdom at the beginning of March.

270 ships per month

According to analysts, the hesitation is particularly linked to the significant consequences that the blockade could have on the supply of Russian oil, which the EU has so far largely kept out of its sanctions.

In Helsingborg, Rolf Lyktoft wants the movement of his 1,400 comrades, which in terms of goods remains symbolic, to snowball.

"We hope that the IDC (International Portworkers' Council) decides to take it up a notch, that we choose globally not to touch Russian goods," he said.

The port management is keeping a low profile but finally managed to unload the Baltic Performer on Monday, at the end of the day and out of sight.

Expected Saturday, the ship returning from South America could not be accommodated, for lack of employees agreeing to unload, forcing it to postpone its arrival.

The blockade chosen by the Swedish union includes vessels flying the Russian flag, those owned by a Russian company under another flag, or even those bound for or coming from Russia.

The management was able to count in extremis on the arms of the "Transportarbetare", the other dockers' union.

“We find that they should not have brought the boat back into the port, but the port authorities did,” laments its president Tommy Wreeth to AFP.

Last week, his organization also decreed a blockade - but only from May 1, to give shipowners time.

For him, it is a question of “pressing the Swedish government, so that Sweden is a pioneer and that the decision is taken through the EU”.

According to its data, 270 Russian-flagged or Russian-related ships anchored in European ports last month, including four in Sweden.

Short-term disruptions

The United Kingdom in early March banned Russian-linked vessels from entering its ports, although Russian cargo - including oil - can in practice still enter on other vessels.

Elsewhere in Europe, initiatives have remained limited, such as in the major French port of Le Havre, where the CGT dockers refused to suspend the unloading of Russian ships.

"It can only be a decision taken on a European scale", justifies Johan Fortier, representative of the union of the second French port.

“Otherwise, the port of Le Havre or the French ports will shoot themselves in the foot, with traffic that will deport to ports that turn a blind eye.”

On March 3, the large port of Hamburg suspended all transhipments to and from Russia, as a precaution.

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But three weeks later operations were "resumed in a limited way", a spokesperson explained, on the grounds that "not all goods are on the EU sanctions list".

As in other European countries, however, German customs check all containers and decide on a case-by-case basis.

In the event of new sanctions, unanimity is required on Wednesday in Brussels during the meeting of ambassadors to the EU.

“Everything is on the table,” assure European officials.

If the 27 chose to imitate London and Russia decided to retaliate against EU ships, "this could significantly disrupt Russian exports in the short term", notes Niels Rasmussen, chief analyst at the shipowners' organization. Bimco.

"In the medium term, however, it is likely that non-Russian and non-European vessels will position themselves on the Russia-Europe link" while the tankers under sanctions "would go to other markets", he told AFP.

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© 2022 AFP