‘British’ Crude Oil Tanker Finds Itself Amidst Argentinian Power Struggle Over Port Of Ushuaia

A crude oil tanker has found itself in the middle of a power struggle between Argentina’s government in Tierra del Fuego province and President Javier Milei’s administration.

VS Promise, which arrived at the Port of Ushuaia, has been called ‘British’ by the governor of Tierra del Fuego, Gustavo Melella.

The port in the southern region was seized recently by the federal government in January this year, due to financial mismanagement by the provincial government.

Governor Melella has questioned the docking of the Isle of Man-registered ship at the Port of Ushuaia, calling it unacceptable.

He spoke of a 2011 law that prohibits ships sailing under the flag of Britain from mooring, docking and receiving fuel or other supplies at provincial ports, a stance supported by neighbouring provinces. He also used this opportunity to urge the federal administration to return the port’s control to the province.

Local officials view the tanker’s presence at the port as undermining Argentina’s claims over the Falklands Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, which are British overseas territories; however, Argentina says they are illegally occupied by the U.K.

According to sources, the vessel garnered considerable attention because it docked close to a memorial established to honour 649 Argentinian soldiers who lost their lives during the Falklands War fought between Argentina and the U.K in 1982.

VS Promise is registered in a self-governing British Crown Dependency, rather than Britain itself; however, the provincial leaders have rejected this and said that it has to be seen as a British-flagged vessel according to the local regulations.

Melella has called out the federal government for its hypocrisy and pointed out that the President seized the port from the province under the pretence of protecting national sovereignty and interests in the South Atlantic, but is now allowing a British tanker to dock at one of the major ports.