Russia sending cargo for Rooppur project through alternative route

Russia is sending goods for the Rooppur nuclear power plant through an alternative route instead of the US-sanctioned Russian ship.

The Russian state news agency Tass reported this last Tuesday, quoting Rooppur's project implementing agency Rosatom.

Rosatom in a statement on the issue said the delay in sending the cargo would not affect the work of the Rooppur project and the construction is on schedule.

It was learnt that the ship named ‘URSA MAJOR’ is now coming back to Bay of Bengal again.

The United States and European Union (EU) imposed sanctions on 69 Russian ships in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war. Bangladesh also banned these ships.

As per diplomatic sources, Russia changed the colour and name of sanctioned ship Sparta III to ‘URSA MAJOR’. They sent goods for Rooppur nuclear power plant in this ship.

The ship was scheduled to reach Bangladesh on 24 December. Before that, the United States embassy in Dhaka on 20 December informed Bangladesh foreign ministry through a diplomatic letter that the sanctioned Russian flagship has changed its name to ‘URSA MAJOR’.

The embassy said any kind of cooperation with the sanctioned ship would pose a risk of falling under the US sanctions or large financial penalties. Bangladesh did not allow the ship to unload the cargo carrying by the ship in any port. The ship was also denied by India later. The URSA MAJOR tried to unload products at the Haldia port in West Bengal of India, but failed. 

According to Russian embassy in Dhaka on 16 January, the URSA MAJOR left the Indian maritime boundary on that day. Diplomatic sources said the ship has been waiting near the maritime boundary of this region.