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Georgia detains second Russian cargo ship on Black Sea in week

Georgia Materials 4 December 2006 18:45 (UTC +04:00)

(RIA Novosti) - Georgia has detained another Russian dry cargo ship, citing navigation violations in a restricted Black Sea zone, Georgia's border guards said Monday.

In the second incident of its kind in the past few days, the Georgian border guards said the ship, with a crew of 13, was carrying plywood from Gemlik in Turkey to Georgia's Poti, on the Black Sea.

The border guards detained the ship Sunday in a restricted area near Sarpi, on the Georgian-Turkish border, reports Trend.

The ship "Astrakhan" is now anchored at the Batumi port in the same area.

Under Georgian law, violations of navigation rules entail a fine of about $30,000. In the event of non-payment, ships are confiscated or sold at auction.

Last week, Georgian border guards detained another Russian dry cargo ship near Poti, saying it was polluting the environment. It was fined $35,000.

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