EU Lawmakers Pressure Danish Shipyard Over Russian Tanker Repairs

The campaign, spearheaded by Danish Green MEP Villy Søvndal, follows the arrival of the vessel Rudolf Samoylovich at the yard on June 30. Signatories argue that maintenance provided to these ships now effectively extends their operational life, potentially undermining the impact of future sanctions. Research from NGOs Urgewald, B4Ukraine, and Razom We Stand identifies Fayard as the final shipyard within the EU still accepting these tankers, which have carried cargoes worth an estimated €4 billion each since the invasion of Ukraine began.

Fayard maintains that it adheres to all current EU regulations and does not service Russian vessels directly, but rather ships owned by international firms operating between the Yamal terminal and European ports. CEO Thomas Andersen faces an open letter urging him to publicly commit to rejecting further Arc7 contracts throughout 2026. While the company stated its current assignments will conclude by the end of this year, critics argue that any continued technical support offers the Kremlin a critical logistical lifeline during the transition period before the formal embargo takes effect.