A routine port call has escalated into a major political crisis in southern Argentina. The British oil tanker 'VS Promise'—flying the flag of the United Kingdom and registered in the Isle of Man—anchored at the port of Ushuaia at 7:08 AM on Monday, August 24, 2026. The vessel, measuring 228.6 meters in length and 32.57 meters in width, with a capacity to carry approximately 73,800 tonnes of crude oil, had just loaded petroleum from the Río Cullen terminal in northern Tierra del Fuego.
Its arrival instantly ignited a war of words between the national government led by President Javier Milei and the provincial administration of Gustavo Melella, revealing deep fractures over sovereignty and resource control in the Atlantic South.
What Happened at the Port?
The tanker entered the port solely for logistical reasons—to resupply fuel and provisions—before returning to Río Cullen. However, its presence was perceived as a provocation by many in Tierra del Fuego, a region that claims the Malvinas Islands (Falkland Islands) as part of its territory under the Argentine Constitution.
The provincial authorities immediately condemned the docking. In a strongly worded statement, they called the operation “inadmissible” and pointed to a 1997 provincial law—commonly known as the 'Ley Gaucho Rivero' (Law 852)—which prohibits any British-flagged vessel from operating in Fuegian ports, as a measure to assert sovereignty over the South Atlantic.
Key Data of the Incident
| Ship | Flag | Registration | Capacity | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VS Promise | United Kingdom | Isle of Man | 73,800 tonnes | Río Cullen → Ushuaia → Río Cullen |
Provincial Government: 'Inadmissible' Act
Governor Gustavo Melella did not shy away from confrontation. He declared that while the United Kingdom continues its “illegitimate occupation” of a part of Fuegian territory, “no British vessel should be allowed to operate in Ushuaia’s port.” In a formal communiqué, the provincial government demanded that President Milei explain the criteria that allowed such authorization.
The provincial executive also requested an immediate end to the national intervention of the port of Ushuaia, which has been under the control of the National Agency for Ports and Navigation (ANPyN) since January 2026, following allegations of financial mismanagement.
“It is inadmissible that, while the UK maintains the illegal occupation of a part of the territory of Tierra del Fuego, a British-flagged vessel is allowed to operate in the port of the provincial capital.”
National Government's Defense
Presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier pushed back, arguing that the Gaucho Rivero Law does not apply in this case because the law prohibits vessels that have operated in the South Atlantic Basin (the region around the Malvinas Islands), but not all British-flagged ships. The VS Promise was coming from the Austral Basin, which lies within Argentine territorial waters, not the disputed Falklands basin.
Ravier also pointed out that the monobuoy at Río Cullen is under provincial jurisdiction, implying that the Fuegian government itself implicitly approved the vessel’s entry by allowing the initial cargo load. “The ship’s actions do not violate any law,” he concluded.
Pushback from Provincial Officials
The provincial leadership did not buy these arguments. Vice-Governor Mónica Urquiza demanded the restitution of the port to the province, saying that Ushuaia is a strategic hub for Argentine sovereignty in both the South Atlantic and Antarctica, and that the national government has no right to make decisions over such critical infrastructure.
Andrés Dachary, the provincial secretary for Malvinas, escalated the rhetoric, calling the port administration a “a mess” and reminding that the Isle of Man is a British Crown dependency, thus disregarding any attempt to disconnect the ship from the UK.
The Port Intervention and Its Broader Context
This incident unfolds against a backdrop of wider legal and political controversy. The Supreme Court of Argentina is currently reviewing the constitutionality of the national government’s decision to take over the port in January 2026. The national Executive cited “financial irregularities, fund misallocation, and infrastructure problems” as grounds for intervention—charges the province fiercely contests, arguing the move is illegitimate.
Additionally, unconfirmed reports from the U.S. newspaper Foreign Affairs hinted at a possible offer of the port to the United States as part of larger strategic negotiations, but nothing has been officially confirmed.
Congressional Pushback
Opposition legislators from Unión por la Patria have submitted formal repudiation notes regarding the maneuver. Deputy Andrea Freites presented a request for official information and accused the national government of failing to coordinate the decision with the province, adding another layer of institutional tension.
What’s Next?
The controversy is far from over. The province has officially demanded the end of the port intervention and the return of its control. Meanwhile, the VS Promise is already back at sea heading toward Río Cullen, but the underlying issues—sovereignty, jurisdiction, and the fight for resources—remain highly explosive on the Argentine national agenda.