CARUZO

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price-cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products has been involved in exporting russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports in the Baltic Sea since October 2023, and has been engaged in deceptive, high-risk practices, including dark activities in the Kerch Strait area. In October 2024, the tanker carried out STS transmissions in the Kerch Strait with IMO tankers 9212008 (under USA sanctions), IMO 9211999 (under USA sanctions), and IMO tanker 9476771, affiliated with a russian company.
In 2024, the tanker, under the command of captains Alexander Grigoriev, Ivan Shashin, and Alexander Peregrov, transported crude oil and petroleum products from the russian ports of Ust-Luga and Primorsk to India, Turkey, and China.
The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of the shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. According to Unired Against Nuclear Iran, the tanker was involved in the export of Iranian oil and was involved in the transportation of sanctioned russian crude oil/oil products.
The tanker is affiliated with the Moldovan company KSN Shipmanagement SRL, which is one of ten Moldovan companies that played a significant role in the maritime transportation of russian oil and transferred the management of the tankers in the fleet to a number of companies from Azerbaijan, while some vessels were transferred to the management of companies from the UAE.
On May 09, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the tanker as part of the restrictions on the shadow fleet of the russian federation, including for engaging in activities aimed at destabilizing Ukraine, undermining/threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine or benefiting from or supporting the government of russia, and participating in the transportation of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin, in particular, from russia to a third country.
On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which enter into force on May 21, 2025, on the tanker for the transportation of crude oil/petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular high-risk shipping practices as specified in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33).
On June 03, 2025, the sanctions imposed by Switzerland on the vessel came into force.
In June 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.