- Mystery shrouds the presence of a Russian cargo ship, which has been sanctioned by the US, in Simon’s Town,
- The ship, Lady R, docked at the Simon’s Town naval base on Tuesday night.
- The ship is understood to be headed for the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Mystery surrounds the presence of a US-licensed Russian freighter in Simon’s Town, Cape Town.
The trading vessel, Lady R, with Cyrillic lettering, is believed to have sailed towards the Simon’s Town naval base on Tuesday night.
The ship was built in 2004 and is a Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) vessel, which means it is mainly used for transporting cargo on wheels.
The ship’s automatic identification system (AIS), which is used to provide positioning and information about a ship, appeared to be offline, according to online ship monitoring services.
According to Vessel Finder, the ship was en route to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and was expected to arrive on Thursday. She last checked in south of Agulhas.
Lady R, Russian freighter docked at Simon’s Town.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, the United States imposed sanctions on the country.
South Africa has avoided criticizing Russia, abstaining from several UN votes to condemn the war.
The Lady R was among dozens of Russian vessels and shipping companies that were sanctioned by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
DA defense spokesman Kobus Marais said: “Apparently they needed assistance and as part of maritime protocols we are obliged to help them. I’m not sure what exactly the problem was, whether it was engine problems or problems with the rudder”.
Both the SA Navy and the Department of Defense were contacted for comment. This will be added upon receipt.
