Danish Foreign Ministry News

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that last year's blasts on the Nord Stream gas pipelines had been carried out on a "state level", dismissing the idea an autonomous pro-Ukraine group was responsible as "complete nonsense."The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea were hit by a series of unexplained explosions last September, in what Moscow has called an act of "international terrorism."Denmark, Germany, and Sweden have conducted their own investigations into the blasts…

Russia needs permission for its vessels to conduct investigations into explosions that damaged Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday. He did not specify who should grant the permission, but Nord Stream AG, the operator of the older Nord Stream 1 pipeline, said last week that the owner of a survey vessel it chartered did not have the greenlight from the Norwegian foreign ministry to depart and start assessing ruptures to the pipelines."The whole question is in the access for our vessels…

The United States announced a $12.1 million economic aid package for Greenland on Thursday aimed at strengthening mutual ties and boost a renewed U.S. push for a greater military presence in the Arctic.The move to improve ties with Greenland drew criticism from Denmark, which less than a year ago rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s offer to buy the vast Arctic island as “absurd.”Greenland, which on Thursday welcomed the money, is becoming increasingly important for the U.S. military and for the U.S.

Danish companies are eyeing a series of energy and shipping projects in Iran following a visit this week by the country's foreign minister, local news agencies and officials said on Tuesday. The Danish foreign ministry said its minister, Kristian Jensen, travelled to Tehran with a delegation representing 58 companies on Monday and that exports could increase by 500 million Danish crowns ($72 million) once sanctions against Iran's nuclear programme are lifted. News agency Shana cited Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Zanganeh as saying Danish companies were interested in developing oil fields in the Caspian Sea including the South Pars gas field, which also produces condensates. Global conglomerate A.P. Moller-Maersk is in the oil industry through its Maersk Oil unit.

Iran's foreign minister told an audience in New York City on Wednesday that Tehran respects freedom of navigation in the Gulf, a day after Iranian patrol boats seized a Danish container ship in one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes. "The Persian Gulf is our lifeline ... We will respect international navigation," Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said during a discussion hosted by the New York University Center on International Cooperation and the think tank New America. Danish shipping company Maersk said the crew of the Maersk Tigris was safe and "in good spirits." Iranian authorities seized the vessel in the Straight of Hormuz on Tuesday, spurring the United States to send military vessels to monitor the situation.

Danish shipping company Maersk said on Wednesday the crew of the Maersk Tigris container ship were safe and "in good spirits" after Iranian authorities seized the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day. Iranian patrol boats fired warning shots as they intercepted the vessel, stoking tensions in one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes and spurring the United States to send military vessels to monitor the situation. The 65,000-tonne, Marshall Islands-flagged Maersk Tigris is managed and crewed by Rickmers Shipmanagement but on hire to Maersk Line, the shipping unit of Maersk, the world's largest container shipping concern.

Mainly Asian, E.European crew "in relatively good" state. Danish shipping company Maersk said on Wednesday the crew of the Maersk Tigris container ship were safe and "in good spirits" after Iranian authorities seized the vessel in the Strait of Hormuz the previous day. Iranian patrol boats fired warning shots as they intercepted the vessel, stoking tensions in one of the world's busiest oil shipping lanes and spurring the United States to send military vessels to monitor the situation. The 65,000-tonne, Marshall Islands-flagged Maersk Tigris is managed and crewed by Rickmers Shipmanagement but on hire to Maersk Line, the shipping unit of Maersk, the world's largest container shipping concern.

The Danish government on Thursday announced a new three-year strategy for combatting piracy and armed robbery at sea. The Danish Foreign Ministry said that that the nation will expand its scanning into the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Nigeria. It still sees a focus on piracy off Somalia but will also target areas off West Africa where Denmark is said to have maritime interests. “With this strategy, Denmark will continue to be at the forefront of international efforts to combat piracy. Our activities will continue to focus on the Horn of Africa but as something new we will also carry out a range of activities in the Gulf of Guinea in western Africa where piracy and armed robbery at sea are the source of growing international concern…

Denmark has donated DKK 200,000 for the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO). The money is intended to assist all countries in complying with the IMO requirements on ballast water management and CO2 emissions. DKK 200,000 from the Danish Foreign Ministry’s program for developing countries has just been sent to the IMO headquarters in London. Here, the money is to contribute to ensuring that all the member states are capable of meeting the requirements of the organization on ballast water management and CO2 emissions.