Port chiefs on the Isle of Grain say they are in "urgent discussions" with the government and customers after a ban was applied on any vessel linked to Russia entering UK ports.

Grain has the UK's leading LNG (liquefied natural gas) importation port and regularly saw Russian-linked vessels docking at the port.

LNG is natural gas that has been cooled to minus-162 degrees centigrade into a liquid form which dramatically reduces its volume and allows for easier and safer storage and transport.

But in fresh wave of sanctions introduced by the government yesterday, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a ban on any vessel "owned or operated by anyone connected to Russia" was ushered in, along with new powers to detain Russian vessels.

The National Grid, which operates Grain LNG, says in 2020 - the last year for which figures were published - Russian provided approximately 12% or LNG imports into Britain which comprised of around 3% of the nation's total gas supply.

A National Grid spokesman said: "We are fully supportive of government action to order UK ports to block all Russian-linked ships, and are in urgent discussions with government and customers to ensure this can be applied at LNG terminals.”

In announcing the ban, the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, said: "Putin and his allies must feel the full consequences of their vicious and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

"That’s why I’m instructing all UK ports to turn away any vessel that is flagged, registered, owned, or operated by Russia.

"By banning Russian ships from our ports, we are further isolating Russia and crushing its economic capabilities, starving Putin’s war machine."