Dutch solidarity? Port of Rotterdam still welcomes ships with Russian oil

With many sanctions against Russian resources due to the war in Ukraine, the Netherlands seems to fall short when it comes to Russian oil.

Eight tankers holding Russian oil are currently heading towards the Port of Rotterdam where they are expected to sail in without any problem, reports the NOS.

The Ukrainian embassy has called to refuse these tankers but a spokesperson for the Port of Rotterdam Authority explained that as long as the ships aren’t subject to any sanctions, they’re allowed to enter the port.

How are port employees reacting to this?

At the port of Amsterdam, port employees have already refused to take in Sunny Liger, a ship with Russian diesel oil.

Even though it has legally entered the port, the port employees refuse to officially request it to dock. This is to show solidarity with Ukraine but also with their Swedish colleagues, who have also previously refused the ship in Stockholm.

The decision of the crew members has also been supported by the municipality of Amsterdam and FNV Havens — trade union for port workers.

Why not boycott Russian ships?

According to FNV Havens, boycotting all Russian ships or ships with Russian cargo isn’t legally possible as the union fears many lawsuit losses against ship owners, reports the NOS.

While the union doesn’t act legally, it still encourages individual dock workers to report as conscientious objectors. This allows them to refuse ships from docking due to moral principles.

READ MORE | The average Dutch person pays €2 to Russia every day, study finds

On top of this, Russian oil is considered important for the Netherlands as it is used in abundance. In fact, 25% of imported oil products came from Russia by the end of 2021.

According to the NOS, a boycott would reduce imports and have negative economic consequences for the Netherlands — solidarity has its limits for the Dutch.

What do you think about the Dutch reaction to Russian oil? Tell us in the comments below!