Greenpeace has released video of it confronting a tanker containing Russian gas which was turned away by UK dockworkers last week.
The Boris Vilkitsky was forced to divert from its destination of the Isle of Grain at the end of last week after Kent dockworkers refused to unload it.
Greenpeace has released footage of protestors then confronting the tanker at sea over the weekend as it made its way to the port of Montoir-de-Bretagne in the west coast of France.
The tanker contains gas from the Yamal LNG project in the Russian arctic, which TotalEnergies holds a 20% direct stake in.
TotalEnergies also holds a near 20% stake in Novatek, a firm which has sanctioned Oligarch and Putin ally which itself holds more than 50% of Yamal LNG.
Despite an exodus of Big Oil players last week over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, TotalEnergies has not divested its holdings in Russian oil and gas, drawing sharp criticism.
TotalEnergies did not reply last week when asked about its stakes in Russian business.
According to commodities data firm Kpler, the Boris Vilkitsky loaded at Yamal on February 24 and was initially scheduled to deliver its cargo at France’s Montoir LNG receiving facility on March 5.
Les énergies fossiles alimentent la crise climatique mais aussi des conflits dans plusieurs régions du monde, dont celui qui vient d’éclater aux portes de l’Union européenne. Ce gaz est la preuve que @TotalEnergies privilégie ses intérêts 💰, à n’importe quel prix. #LaHonteTotal pic.twitter.com/tbK6b38FFK
— Greenpeace France (@greenpeacefr) March 5, 2022
Helene Bourges, head of fossil fuel campaign for Greenpeace France said: “How many more missiles have to destroy civilian lives before we ditch fossil fuels? Putin’s invasion is yet another example of the many conflicts fuelled by oil and gas across the world.
“After helping fill the Kremlin’s pockets and fuel its tanks, the oil giants are now racing to leave Russia in a desperate attempt to protect their image. But the damage is done and despite the sanctions, ships loaded with Putin’s gas are still docking in Europe.”
Last week the Department for Transport introduced further sanctions on Russia, including a ban on ships.
However, when the Boris Vilkitsky was diverted due to efforts of dockworkers, Unison said it showed a hole in the measures; that the ban does not extend to the origins of a vessel’s cargo.
Russia accounts for around 4% of the UK’s gas supply. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reported as seeking a “climate change pass” for the western gas industry to ramp up production in order to end Europe’s energy reliance on Russia.