The government of Bangladesh has denied entry to Russian ship Ursa Major, which was delivering components for the Rooppur NPP, The Martime Executive has reported. The Russian-flagged general cargo ship, formerly called Sparta III, is linked to Russian shipping company SC South, which delivers cargo for the Russian Ministry of Defence, including construction materials for Russia's bases in the Arctic.

Both SC South and parent company Oboronlogistika OOO, a logistics provider serving the Russian military, were sanctioned by the US Treasury in May 2022 following Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine. 

After Bangladesh Science and Technology Minister Yafes Osman became aware of the Ursa Major's sanctioned status his ministry decided to refuse entry to the vessel, he told reporters and Russian representatives.  

Ursa Major was scheduled to arrive at Mongla port on 24 December, after first unloading some products at the port of Cochin in Kerala, India. However, the US informed Bangladesh in a diplomatic letter that the vessel was not Ursa Major, but the sanctioned Sparta III and that, although the name and colour of the ship had been changed, its IMO (International Marine Organisation) certificate number matched that of Sparta III. The letter also stated that unloading products from that ship, and providing fuel or any other assistance to the sailors of that ship, could potentially risk US sanctions or large financial penalties, according to the Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo. After confirming the US information, the Bangladesh foreign ministry informed the Ministry of Shipping and the Mongla port authorities stated that the ship would not be allowed to dock.

Ursa Major is now waiting off the coast of the Sundarbans. Osman told Bangladesh’s New Age: "Russia informed us that they sent the vessel by mistake and would now replace it with another ship to carry the consignment for the Rooppur power plant and deliver it to the Bangladesh port." 

Previous shipments for Rooppur NPP were delivered by various Russian and neutral, foreign-flag vessels, including the Russian-flagged Kamilla and the Liberian-flagged Dragonball. According to Maritime Executive, Ursa Major (Sparta III) was also the focus of media interest in 2021, when she transited to the Arctic port of Dudinka without an ice-navigation permit and was trapped by early-season ice. It took weeks and multiple icebreakers (and a tow) to bring her back to the open sea. 

Image: General cargo ship Ursa Major (courtesy of FleetMon)