MV Joanna V

Last updated

MV Joanna V (previously Arietta Venezelos) was a Greek oil tanker which in 1966 the Royal Navy threatened to intercept on the High Seas when it was heading towards Beira, from which an oil pipeline would enable the oil to be sent to Rhodesia. This would have been in breach of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 217 (1965). [1]

In February 1966 the MV Joanna V - still bearing the name MV Arietta Venezelos was located in the Persian Gulf when the Greek government instructed the owners, Venezelos SA to divert the ship to Rotterdam rather than South Africa and forbade the delivery of oil to Rhodesia.

The Joanna V was carrying 18,700 tons of oil when she was first detected by the Royal Navy's Beira Patrol. [2] :71 The Captain, Yiorgos Vardinogiannis, was warned not to proceed to Beira. [3] :71 However when the British government requested consent from the Greek government to use force, this permission was refused, although the Greek government did say they would endeavour to persuade Vardinoyannis not to do so. The British ship HMS Plymouth intercepted her, but as Vardinoyannis claimed she was simply putting into Beira for bunkering and provisions before taking the oil to Djibouti, the Joanna V was able to proceed to Beira unhindered. [3] :71 However, as there were no facilities to process the oil at Djibouti, his explanation was regarded as lacking credibility. [3] :71

The British Ambassador to Greece, Ralph Murray raised the matter with Theoharis Rendis, the Greek undersecretary for Foreign Relations, who responded that the Greek government would accept the British interception of one of their ships if it had the backing of the United Nations. [3] :71This led to the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 221 on 9 April, which empowered "the United Kingdom to arrest and detain the tanker known as the Joanna V upon her departure from Beira in the event of her oil cargo being discharged there." [4]

Related Research Articles

Rhodesia (1965-79) unrecognized state in Southern Africa

Rhodesia. officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia was an unrecognised state in southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the de facto successor state to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia, which had been self-governing since achieving responsible government in 1923. A landlocked nation, Rhodesia was bordered by South Africa to the south, Bechuanaland to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east.

Bab-el-Mandeb Strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa

The Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait located between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Rhodesias Unilateral Declaration of Independence

The Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was a statement adopted by the Cabinet of Rhodesia on 11 November 1965, announcing that Rhodesia, a British territory in southern Africa that had governed itself since 1923, now regarded itself as an independent sovereign state. The culmination of a protracted dispute between the British and Rhodesian governments regarding the terms under which the latter could become fully independent, it was the first unilateral break from the United Kingdom by one of its colonies since the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. The UK, the Commonwealth and the United Nations all deemed Rhodesia's UDI illegal, and economic sanctions, the first in the UN's history, were imposed on the breakaway colony. Amid near-complete international isolation, Rhodesia continued as an unrecognised state with the assistance of South Africa and Portugal.

The Beira Patrol was a blockade of oil shipments to Rhodesia through Beira, Mozambique, resulting from United Nations trade sanctions on Rhodesia.

Iran–United Kingdom relations Diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Iran–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Iran. Iran, which was called Persia by the West before 1935, has had political relations with England since the late Ilkhanate period when King Edward I of England sent Geoffrey of Langley to the Ilkhanid court to seek an alliance.

Combined Task Force 150

Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 33-nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, board, inspect, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the "Global War on Terrorism" and in the Horn of Africa region (HOA) includes operations in the North Arabia Sea to support operations in the Indian Ocean. These activities are referred to as Maritime Security Operations (MSO).

Yiorgos Vardinogiannis is a Greek businessman and a shipping magnate, former owner and president of the Panathinaikos football club. He was born in Episkopi, Rethymno in 1936. He is the brother of oil and shipping tycoon Vardis Vardinogiannis.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 217, adopted unanimously on November 20, 1965, determined that the situation resulting from the Unilateral Declaration of Independence was extremely grave and that the Government of the United Kingdom should put an end to it as it constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The Council also called upon nations not to recognize what it deemed "this illegal authority" or entertain diplomatic relations with it. It also asked all states to refrain from economic relations with Rhodesia.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 221, adopted on April 9, 1966, after recalling previous resolutions on the topic, the Council was gravely concerned that Southern Rhodesia might receive a large supply of oil as the Joanna V, an oil tanker, had already arrived at Beira.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 232

United Nations Security Council Resolution 232, adopted on December 16, 1966, noted with concern that the efforts to break off international economic activity with Southern Rhodesia had failed to bring the rebellion to an end, the Council decided that all member states would prevent the importation of an asbestos, iron ore, chrome, pig-iron, sugar, tobacco, copper, or animal-products that had originated in Southern Rhodesia. Additionally, the activities of any of their nationals designed to promote the export of these commodities or the importation of arms, ammunition of all types, military aircraft, military vehicles and equipments and materials for the manufacture and maintenance of arms and ammunition along with a total embargo of oil and oil products, though exception was made for contracts granted before this resolution.

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea affects a number of countries in West Africa as well as the wider international community. By 2011, it had become an issue of global concern. Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea are often part of heavily armed criminal enterprises, who employ violent methods to steal oil cargo. In 2012, the International Maritime Bureau, Oceans Beyond Piracy and the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Program reported that the number of vessels attacks by West African pirates had reached a world high, with 966 seafarers attacked during the year. According to the Control Risks Group, pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea had by mid-November 2013 maintained a steady level of around 100 attempted hijackings in the year, a close second behind Southeast Asia. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea continues to be a concern to the shipping industry, which is affected significantly. At the same time, governments in the region generally highlight that the fight against piracy requires a broad understanding of maritime security throughout the Gulf of Guinea.

Iain Peter Butchart, a cricketer, was born in Bulawayo on 9 May 1960. Broadcasting of television started in November. The Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) was formed in 1961 with Joshua Nkomo as leader. The Rhodesian Front won the general elections of 1962 on 14 December. Winston Field then became the Prime Minister of Rhodesia. The Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) was formed in 1963 with Robert Mugabe as Secretary. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved on 31 December 1963 as Zambia and Malawi moved towards independence. The government placed Joshua Nkomo, leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union, under restriction on 16 April 1964. Northern Rhodesia gained its independence and Southern Rhodesia became the colony of Rhodesia on 24 October.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia occurs in the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel and Somali Sea, in Somali territorial waters and other surrounding areas. It was initially a threat to international fishing vessels, expanding to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War, around 2000.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 388, adopted unanimously on April 6, 1976, reaffirmed previous resolutions on the topic, including the conclusion that the situation in Rhodesia constituted a threat to international peace and security. The council decided to expand its sanctions regime to include;

Vardis Vardinogiannis is a Greek billionaire oil and shipping businessman. He is the chairman and controlling shareholder of Motor Oil Hellas, Vegas Oil and Gas and involved in numerous other shipping and business interests. Vardinogiannis was included in Lloyd's List's Most Influential People in Shipping.

Rhodesian mission in Lisbon Diplomatic mission (1965–1975)

The Rhodesian mission in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, operated from September 1965 to May 1975. It was a diplomatic mission representing Rhodesia, initially as a self-governing colony of Britain and, after the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in November 1965, as an unrecognised state. Rhodesia informed Britain of its intent to open a Lisbon mission headed by an accredited representative, independent from the British Embassy in the city, in June 1965. Whitehall refused to endorse the idea but Rhodesia continued nonetheless, and later that month appointed Harry Reedman to head the mission. The British government attempted unsuccessfully to block this unilateral act—Rhodesia's first—for some months afterwards.

April 1966 Month of 1966

The following events occurred in April 1966:

Venezelos SA was a shipping company established in Athens in the 1960s. The company was managed by Nikitas Venizelos who became a prominent Greek politician. By 1965 the company had a mixed fleet of 11 cargo ships and oil tankers.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2375

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2375 was adopted on 11 September 2017. The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a new sanctions resolution against North Korea, a response to its sixth nuclear test on September 3. The resolution reduces about 30% of oil provided to North Korea by cutting off over 55% of refined petroleum products going to North Korea.

2019–2020 Persian Gulf crisis Period of military tensions between the US and Iran

The 2019–2020 Persian Gulf crisis is an intensification of military tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies and the United States of America and their allies in the Persian Gulf region. The U.S. began a buildup of its military presence in the region to deter an alleged planned campaign by Iran and its non-state allies to attack American forces and interests in the Persian Gulf and Iraq. This followed a rise in political tensions between the two countries during the Trump administration, which included the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the imposition of new sanctions against Iran, and the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. In response, Iran designated the United States Central Command as a terrorist organization.

References

  1. ↑ Sarooshi, Dan (1999). The United Nations and the Development of Collective Security: The Delegation by the UN Security Council of Its Chapter VII Powers. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp.  195–6. ISBN   9780198268635.
  2. ↑ "British Board Tanker". The Kansas City Times (April 11). 1966. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Wood, J.R.T. (2012). A matter of weeks rather than months : the impasse between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith : sanctions, aborted settlements and war, 1965-1969 (Revised ed.). [Victoria, BC?]: Trafford. ISBN   9781466934092 . Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "United Nations Security Council Resolution 221]" . Retrieved 28 May 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.