The United States has banned Russian-linked vessels from its ports, joining Canada, the European Union and the UK in adding a maritime trade dimension to a series of economic measures in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
President Biden indicated Thursday that “no ship, no ship that sails under the Russian flag or that is owned or operated by a Russian entity will be allowed to dock in a United States port or access our shores. None.”
“This is yet another critical step we are taking in concert with our partners in the European Union, United Kingdom and Canada in further to deny Russia the benefits of the international economic system that they so enjoyed in the past,” the president said.
The move is more symbolic than impactful: Russian-flagged ships account for less than 1 percent of cargo that arrives at American ports – or the reported equivalent of 1,800 port calls. (White House file photo)
