Alumina from Limerick refinery puts Ireland under pressure to stop sending Russia an ingredient vital to Ukraine war
Shipments prompt scrutiny
The cargo ship Karin left the River Shannon estuary for Russia this week after being moored there. Alumina, a compound refined from bauxite, is used to make aluminium and appears in products ranging from cosmetics to missiles and drones.
The Aughinish refinery in County Limerick is Europe’s largest alumina refinery. It is owned by Russian producer Rusal and regularly sends shipments to St Petersburg and other Russian ports. Alumina 22, an activist group seeking sanctions on the trade, estimated that 491,307 metric tons went from Ireland to Russia between March and October.
Conflicting claims on use
Irish Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said the material was clearly reaching military supplies and called Ireland’s possible role in that trade unthinkable. Government minister Niall Collins said there was no evidence it was entering military supply chains, while the government has not published its investigation findings.
Enterprise Minister Peter Burke said Ireland had found neither evidence that the alumina was being used militarily nor proof that it was not. He said it had been impossible to verify Rusal’s claim that Irish alumina is used only to produce aluminium for export from Russia.
Sanctions debate in Europe
The European Parliament passed a non-binding motion in July calling for a ban on alumina exports to Russia, but the material was left out of the EU’s 21st sanctions package that month. The European Commission is consulting member nations about the shipments; any sanctions require agreement from all 27 EU countries.
The issue is in focus as dozens of European leaders gather in Dublin. The European Political Community summit is scheduled for Thursday, followed by a meeting of EU leaders. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in June that European companies linked to Russia and sanctioned oligarchs were still supplying the country with essential materials.
Key points
- The Aughinish refinery regularly ships alumina from Ireland to Russian ports.
- Ireland has not published its investigation into whether the material enters military supply chains.
- The European Commission is consulting EU countries about possible action on the shipments.
- Supporters cite the refinery’s jobs and its importance to European alumina supplies.