PANDA

During the period when the G7 and EU oil embargoes and the price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products were in effect, the tanker was involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports on the Baltic Sea to the UAE, and russian crude oil from ports in the Pacific region to China.
The tanker is also involved in the transport of Iranian crude oil/petroleum products.
The international non-governmental organization Greenpeace classifies the tanker as part of the "shadow fleet" of tankers transporting russian crude oil around the world and posing a threat to the environment.
On January 10, 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since May 21, 2025, the EU has imposed sanctions on the tanker for transporting crude oil and petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, while engaging in irregular and high-risk shipping practices, as specified in International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33).
Since June 3, 2025, Switzerland has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since October 30, 2025, New Zealand has imposed sanctions on the tanker.
In November 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On December 13, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On February 21, 2026, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the vessel’s master.
In order to circumvent sanctions, the tanker has been manipulating its identifying information, including its name, IMO number, and flag state. Since April 2025, the vessel has not used its actual IMO number but twice changed its IMO numbers while operating under the name "Birt Young." From April through May 2025, the vessel used the IMO number belonging to the tanker Oceania (IMO 9233313), which was scrapped in August 2021, while simultaneously transmitting an MMSI number associated with the Guyana flag registry. The IMO’s GISIS database indicates that the vessel Birth Young was fraudulently sailing under the Guyana flag. In mid-May, the Birth Young abandoned the IMO number of the vessel Oceania and began using the IMO number that previously belonged to the Aframax River (IMO 9259173).