In Morbihan, a collective opposes the arrival of a Russian ship

Can the Shtandart, a 34-meter Russian three-master sail in France? The presence of this replica of Tsar Peter the Great’s frigate at the Week of the Gulf of Morbihan, from May 15 to 21, is causing trouble. The “No Shtandart in Europe” collective is organizing a demonstration in Vannes on Saturday March 18 at 11 a.m. to prevent its participation in the event.

“The presence of this ship, ambassador of the Kremlin in French ports, violates the fifth part of the sanctions taken following the Russian massacres of Boutcha in Ukraine”, indicates the collective in a press release. The sanctions adopted by the European Union provide, since April 16, 2022, the prohibition of access to European ports to ships registered under the Russian flag.

Already turned back from some ports

The Shtandart was also turned away from certain ports in Italy, Spain, but also during the Escale festival in Sète, in April 2022. The prefecture of Hérault then mentioned a risk of disturbing public order. His presence had also been refused at the Lorient Océans maritime festival in July 2022. “When we saw that we had to make a transfer to Russia, we preferred to abandon the idea”, relates Olivier Sévère, the organizer of the ‘event.

Questioned, the European Commission indicates that it “monitors the correct and uniform application of European sanctions”, but that the Member States are responsible for it. In France, “the competent authorities (…) are the department prefects and the directors of major seaports”, adds the Commission.

Controversy over the status of “traditional historic ship”

“The case of the Shtandart is being closely followed by the General Secretariat for the Sea because it raises questions,” said a spokesperson for the Atlantic maritime prefecture. It is considered a training ship, a replica of an 18th century frigate. The captain is considered an opponent of the Russian regime. The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs places the ship outside the scope of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (Solas) in view of its status as a traditional historic ship, but it is asked to avoid flying the flag. Russian at nautical festivals. »

Gérard d’Aboville, commissioner general of Gulf Week, relies on a similar message from the National Directorate of Intelligence and Customs Investigations (DNRED) stating that “local maritime authorities (…) have classified the vessel as a ‘vessel of traditional construction” outside the European regulations”. “This was confirmed to us by the maritime prefecture and the general secretariat for the sea”, adds the organizer of the Vannes event, judging the demonstration “totally bogus”.

“The European regulation prohibiting Russian ships does not only cite the Solas convention, since it refers to all the “relevant international conventions”, retorts Bernard Grua, spokesperson for the collective “No Shtandart in Europe”. This former Nantes entrepreneur has already successfully opposed the delivery to the Russian Navy, in 2014, of two military ships of the Mistral class, built at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard. According to him, above all, “the European regulations do not provide for the status of traditional historic ship either. It is a legal fiction. And it is the law that will determine who has defrauded and who is liable to criminal prosecution, because any violation of the sanctions is considered criminal since the European decision of November 28, 2022”.

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