Atlantic Navigator II detained in Germany with sanctioned cargo
According to local media, the container ship Atlantic Navigator II, en route from Petersburg to the United States, was detained by customs services in the port of Rostock, Germany. The detention was due to the transportation of items listed on the EU sanctions list.
2:21 PM EDT, April 3, 2024
Originally, the Atlantic Navigator II was not scheduled to stop in Germany; however, an engine failure necessitated an unscheduled docking. The Welt.de website reported that the vessel arrived in Rostock in early March, where its cargo, like all goods entering the EU, fell under customs scrutiny.
Certain goods onboard were included in the European Union's sanctions list, leading customs authorities to order the ship's detention. Consequently, as stated by the Port and Navigation Office in Rostock, the ship is prohibited from leaving the port.
Was there plywood and uranium onboard?
The Ostsee-Zeitung, a local newspaper, revealed that the items shipped from Russia to the United States were birch plywood and enriched uranium, which are utilized in American power plants. Investigative journalists confirmed this information, which was uncovered by multiple sources.
On Tuesday, the Rostock prosecutor's office confirmed to the NDR station that the birch plywood, sanctioned by the European Union, was indeed on the vessel. However, it clarified that uranium is not on the sanctions list. The United States imports both of these commodities.
Ongoing investigation
Further inquiries by NDR revealed that while the damage to the Atlantic Navigator II's propeller screw has been repaired, the customs investigation is still in progress. Given the active investigation, authorities have declined to comment on the future of the sanctioned goods.
