Antena M has exclusively obtained information about suspicious activities at the Port of Bar involving the transfer of a large quantity of TNT explosives. According to sources, the explosives ultimately ended up in Russian hands in Crimea.
This development appears to violate international law and contradict Montenegro’s declared policy of neutrality. As a signatory to the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), Montenegro is expected to enforce strict controls over arms transfers.
The transfer of TNT was accompanied by questionable decisions made by the Port of Bar’s management, raising serious concerns about possible political motives, specifically, suspicions that Montenegro may be acting as a transit hub for explosive materials potentially routed to Russia amid its ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
According to credible sources at Antena M, on February 12th of this year, the vessel MV Industrial Skipper docked at the Port of Bar carrying 66 twenty-foot containers of TNT originating from Vietnam, intended for a buyer in the United States. The original plan was for the explosives to be transferred to another vessel bound for the port of Constanța in NATO-member Romania.
That vessel was supposed to be the MV Sandal, contracted by Ukrainian partners to handle the transport. However, we have learned that MV Sandal was suddenly denied entry to the Port of Bar. Our sources say this decision came after intervention by Ilija Pješčić, the Port’s Executive Director, and Lidija Spičanović, the Deputy Commercial Director. The reasons for this remain unclear.
Instead, the cargo was taken over by the MV Klausen, hired by the Bar-based shipping agency “Jadroagent”. According to the vessel tracking site MarineTraffic, MV Klausen arrived at the Port of Bar on February 26 and picked up the shipment the following day.
Although the TNT was supposed to be shipped to Constanța, its first stop was the occupied Crimean peninsula—specifically, the port of Sevastopol, which is currently under Russian control. Only after visiting Sevastopol did the vessel continue to Romania.
This chain of events raises many questions: Was the vessel switch simply a logistical change, or was there a deeper political motive, possibly even a deliberate effort to supply Russia during its war against Ukraine? It also prompts the question: why did senior Port of Bar officials push for a vessel that, contrary to plan, appears to have delivered explosives into an active war zone?
No Response from the Port of Bar
On May 6th, Antena M sent an official inquiry to the Port of Bar requesting clarification on several issues, including the Port’s role in the transshipment of TNT, the reasons behind denying entry to the vessel MV Sandal, whether the Government was informed about ongoing activities at the Port, and who in Montenegro is responsible for ensuring the safety of people and infrastructure during the transport of TNT through civilian areas and ports.
Despite two follow-up phone calls, we have yet to receive any response.
That same day, Antena M also contacted other institutions responsible for issuing permits and overseeing operations at the Port of Bar. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs was the quickest to reply, though only to say that the issue does not fall under their jurisdiction.
We asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whether Montenegro had issued any permits for exporting TNT to countries currently involved in armed conflicts, and whether any consultations had taken place with international partners or organizations such as NATO or the EU. They informed us that a coordinated response is still being prepared and should be available soon.
We received similar replies from the Ministry of Interior and the Customs Administration, and we will publish their statements as soon as they arrive in our newsroom inbox.
Ministry of Economic Development: Transshipment Is Not Within Our Jurisdiction
The Ministry of Economic Development responded promptly, stating that the issue falls outside their jurisdiction. However, they provided clarification on the relevant laws and procedures.
They explained that the transit and transport of weapons and military equipment is regulated by Article 10 of the Law on Foreign Trade in Weapons and Military Equipment.
“Transit of controlled goods listed under weapons and military equipment, whether by land or water, may only be carried out based on approval from the state authority responsible for internal affairs, with prior consent from the Ministry and the authorities responsible for defense and foreign affairs. The procedure for issuing such approvals and the required documentation is regulated by the internal affairs authority, or by the civil aviation authority in cases involving air transit and transport,” the Ministry stated.
They also noted that Article 1 of the Law on the Transport of Dangerous Goods defines transport of dangerous goods, including loading and unloading, changing the type of transport vehicle, and any stoppage caused by an accident or traffic incident.
“Since part of your inquiry concerns transshipment, we inform you that this matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Development,” their response concluded.
Montenegro is a Signatory to the International Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
According to information obtained by Antena M, there may have been multiple violations of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), an international agreement designed to regulate the global trade in conventional weapons and prevent their use in serious breaches of international law.
Article 6, paragraph 3 of the ATT prohibits any signatory state from authorizing the transfer of arms if, at the time of approval, it knows the weapons could be used to commit genocide, crimes against humanity, serious breaches of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, attacks against civilians, or other war crimes. If the authorities were aware—or had reasonable grounds to suspect—that TNT-type explosives were being delivered to Sevastopol, this would constitute a direct breach of this article. The same applies to a potential shipment to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The preamble and Article 1 of the ATT define its core purpose: to prevent weapons from being diverted to the black market or unauthorized end users. Article 11 further requires all participating states to take measures to stop such diversions. In this case, the containers were initially scheduled for delivery to Romania, a NATO member. However, the ship altered its course and headed for Sevastopol, meaning the shipment arrived at a destination not declared on the manifest.
Article 7 obliges exporting countries to assess whether a shipment could pose a risk to peace and security or be used in serious violations of international humanitarian law. If such a risk is identified, the export must be denied. According to Antena M’s sources, this case involved a failure to properly assess the risk that the weapons could end up in Russia or Israel. The authorities should have been aware of the logistical changes and the ship’s behavior, factors that should have been enough to halt the export.
Article 5 requires all ATT member states to implement the treaty consistently, objectively, and without discrimination, and to maintain a transparent national arms control system. Direct intervention by the Port of Bar in favor of one vessel, to the detriment of the Ukrainian partner MV Sandal, which was removed from the process, raises concerns about political interference and selective enforcement of regulations, contradicting both the letter and the spirit of Article 5.
Another Ship Loaded with TNT Also Docked
From May 4 to 7, the MV Industrial Ursula was docked at the Port of Bar, reportedly carrying 62 containers of TNT.
According to the website MarineTraffic, the ship later proceeded to the Port of Ceuta, located in the Spanish enclave on the northern coast of Africa.
Sources suspect that the TNT from this vessel was transferred to another ship. However, as of this publication, this information has not been independently verified, and it remains unclear which vessel received the cargo or where it ultimately ended up.
Antena M will continue investigating this matter to uncover all aspects of the incident, which could seriously damage Montenegro’s international reputation.
Komentari (0)
POŠALJI KOMENTAR