A tanker carrying Russian oil has docked at Tranmere terminal thanks to a loophole in government sanctions.
The vessel, Seacod, sails under a German flag but collected the oil in the Russian port of Primorsk, where 30% of Russian oil exports are loaded onto ships.
It left Primorsk on February 22 and arrived in Tranmere yesterday at around 11.36am.
READ MORE : Putin's 'murderous regime' gas supply link to Merseyside hospitals
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced this week that any Russian owned, chartered or operated ships would be blocked from entering UK ports as part of sweeping sanctions against President Vladimir Putin's regime and its invasion of Ukraine.
However, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the ban would not extend to Russian cargo carried on vessels from other nations.
The Seacod's cargo is destined for the Stanslow oil refinery in Ellesmere Port, owned by Essar Oil (UK) Ltd.
A spokesman for the firm told the ECHO: "We support and are fully complying with the statutory framework implemented by the UK government with regards to Russia-related entities.
"We can confirm that a vessel has been approved to berth at Tranmere Oil Terminal by the Port Authority."
Councillor Jan Williamson, leader of Wirral Council, expressed concern about the vessel's arrival on Twitter, saying "we are looking into this as a matter of urgency."
She later posted: "I have had confirmation that this is a German tanker carrying crude oil, likely for Stanlow.
"This is happening across the country and would require Gov restrictions to put a stop to it."
Other ships carrying liquefied Russian gas arrived in the UK yesterday, but one, the Greek owned Boris Vilkitskiy, was forced to divert from a Thames Valley port after dockers in the Unison trade union refused to unload Russian cargo.
Petrol prices have hit record highs as Putin's murderous war in Ukraine causes havoc with energy markets.
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