Marine vessels

The tanker is involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas with the AIS signal turned off, including in the Turkish EEZ. The vessel is certified by the Registro Italiano Navale (IACS). The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of the shadow fleet of tankers that transport russian oil around the world and threaten the environment. Under the sanctions, russia has begun to build up its own shadow fleet of outdated tankers, which has no 'ties' with the G7 and the EU and can transport oil in violation of price caps. russia disguises its shadowy activities at sea under the 'convenient' flags of third countries, operates at sea without proper insurance from the international club of insurers, uses complex schemes to conceal the owners of the shadow fleet, uses various deceptive tactics to conceal the origin of its cargo, creates threats to environmental safety with large-scale economic costs for coastal countries due to the growing threat of oil spills, does not use pilots to navigate difficult areas, etc. russia's 'shadow fleet' continues to generate multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of vessel IMO 9293117. 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker during the period of the G7+ oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/oil products is involved in the export of russian crude oil/oil products from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, and is engaged in dark activities, in particular in the Black Sea south of the TOT of Crimea. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of a shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. The tanker was affiliated with Ocean Coral Ship Management LTD, which managed the tanker IMO 9208069, until USA sanctioned on January 10, 2025, a significant number of ships considered to be shadow fleet. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker IMO 9266853, which is considered to be part of the shadow fleet, called at the russian port where the oil price constantly exceeds the upper limit of the price cap, and was managed by Ocean Coral Ship Management LTD as of the date of sanctions. In order to avoid the application of sanctions to the tanker IMO 9208069 involved in sanctioned trade, after the adoption of the sanctions package by USA on January 10, 2025, the management of the tanker IMO 9208069 was transferred from Ocean Coral Ship Management LTD (Hong Kong), which was incorporated on January 24, 2024, to Elite Marine Ship Management LTD (Hong Kong), which was incorporated on July 24, 2024. 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker is involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, mainly to India. The tanker is affiliated with Prominent Shipmanagement Limited (Hong Kong), which is an operator of the shadow fleet involved in the transportation of sanctioned russian and Iranian oil and which was sanctioned by USA on January 10, 2025 in relation to the management of the tanker fleet, the shadow fleet involved in the transportation of sanctioned russian oil, including the Fjord Seal, which called at a russian port where the price of oil was constantly exceeding the upper ceiling of $60 per barrel, and the Samsun, which was involved in the transportation of Iranian oil. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. From May 21, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions 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 18 July 2025, the EU amended the sanctions. On June 03, 2025, the sanctions imposed by Switzerland on the vessel came into force. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in exporting russian oil to third countries (mainly India) from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, conducting dark activities at sea with the AIS signal turned off off the coast of Malaysia (in 2021), in the Baltic and Black Seas near russian ports (in 2024). The tanker is managed by Prominent Shipmanagement LTD, established in 2022 in Hong Kong. Prominent is headed by Arjun Deshmukh, who worked for FESCO Wallem Shipmanagement, a joint venture between a russian company and Hong Kong's oldest ship manager. Prominent Shipmanagement LTD took over all tankers operated by K&O Shipmanagement FZE, a Dubai-based company affiliated with the sanctioned russian company Sovcomflot, and the vessels were included in the Indian Register of Shipping (the classification society with the largest market share of the so-called shadow fleet). PJSC Sovcomflot is the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied gas. The main charterers of Sovcomflot vessels are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia. Under the sanctions, russia has begun to build up its own shadow fleet of outdated tankers, which has no 'ties' with the G7 and the EU and can transport oil in violation of price caps. russia disguises its shadow activities at sea under the 'convenient' flags of third countries, operates at sea without proper insurance from the international club of insurers, uses complex schemes to conceal the owners of the shadow fleet, uses various deceptive tactics to conceal the origin of its cargo, creates threats to environmental safety with large-scale economic costs for coastal countries due to the growing threat of oil spills, does not use pilots to navigate difficult areas, etc. The shadow fleet of the russian federation continues to provide multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant threats to environmental safety with significant economic costs for coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of vessel IMO 9436006. 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker has been involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the Black Sea and the Pacific region, mainly to China and third countries since February 2023, as well as in violation of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil. In particular, in February 2024, the vessel transported russian oil from a russian port in the Black Sea to the Laconikos Gulf (Greece). 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. In October 2024, the ship's management was transferred from the Moldova-based KSN Shipmanagement SRL to the Azerbaijan-based Dream Island Shipping LLC. According to investigative journalists from RISE Moldova, KSN Shipmanagement SRL is one of ten Moldova-based companies that play a significant role in the maritime transportation of russian oil. The tanker's name Torex appeared in early 2023 after it was sold by a Pakistani corporation for more than five billion Pakistani rupees (equivalent to about $21 million in early 2023). In early April, and then in July 2023, a Norwegian maritime trade news portal reported that the actual new beneficiary of the tanker was KSN Shipmanagement SRL from Moldova. The shadow fleet of russia continues to generate multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7+ oil embargo and the price cap on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/oil products from russian ports in the Baltic, Black seas, and the Pacific region, mainly to China, India, and other third countries. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of the shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world through the Baltic Sea, the Kadetsky Canal area in the Mecklenburg Bay, and threatening the environment. The tanker is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. On February 24, March 04, 2025 EU and Switzerland respectively imposed sanctions on the tanker for transporting crude oil/oil products originating in or exported from russia using irregular and high-risk shipping practices as specified in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly resolution A.1192 (33); promoting or supporting actions/policies aimed at the exploitation, development or expansion of the energy sector in russia, including energy infrastructure (EU sanctions will enter into force on February 25, 2025). On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

In 2024, the tanker will be involved in the export of russian oil to China from the port of Kozmino. The vessel is certified by the Korean Register (IACS). According to Lloyd's List, 'AMBER 6' is linked to anonymous Chinese buyers who spent about $376 million to purchase 13 tankers to carry out risky ship-to-ship transportation of russian oil in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Ship-to-shore logistics hubs are a common feature of the scheme, allowing for the concealment of ownership and origin of cargo. In addition to the mid-Atlantic STS hub, there are also areas near the ports of Kalamata (Greece), Malta, Ceuta, and the Caucasus where ship-to-ship operations have been established for russian oil. STS's operations in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean are outside the jurisdiction of port authorities, with limited technical and operational oversight, which increases safety and environmental concerns due to the unknown insurance and vessel ownership data. Lloyd's List has tracked five Aframax tankers, seven large oil carriers and one Suezmax vessel to an anonymous buyer through separate but related companies operating offshore Hong Kong and China that own similar vessels. The group of tankers was acquired between May and July 2022 for a total of $285 million, based on ship brokerage reports and market valuations. Since then, all but one of the tankers have been involved in the transshipment of russian oil cargoes at a high-risk transshipment hub located 860 nautical miles west of Portugal in international waters. The vessels purchased by the anonymous Chinese buyer are 15 years old or more, making it impossible for most major oil companies to charter them and impossible to obtain conventional financing. Oil exports from russia are the most important source of income for the kremlin regime to finance its war against Ukraine. The tax on oil production collected by the russian federation in 2023 amounted to 8.9 trillion rubles, or 31% of total federal revenues. According to CREA data for September 2024, russia's revenues from crude oil exported by sea amounted to 192 million euros per day, 86% of the total volume of russian marine crude oil was transported by shadow tankers, while tankers owned or insured in countries that impose price restrictions accounted for 14% of the total value of russian oil exported in September. The shadow tanker fleet continues to provide multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. On December 16, 2024, the EU imposed sanctions on the tanker (effective from December 17, 2024) due to the transportation of crude oil or petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular high-risk shipping practices as set out in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33). On December 23, 2024, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with the transportation of crude oil or petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular and risky shipping practices, as set out in the resolution of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization A.1192(33). On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. In June 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the Baltic, Black seas, and the Pacific region, mainly to China and India. The tanker is managed by Prominent Shipmanagement LTD, established in 2022 in Hong Kong. Prominent is headed by Arjun Deshmukh, who worked for FESCO Wallem Shipmanagement, a joint venture between a russian company and Hong Kong's oldest ship manager. Prominent Shipmanagement LTD took over all tankers operated by K&O Shipmanagement FZE, a Dubai-based company. On December 16, 2024, the EU imposed sanctions on the tanker (effective from December 17, 2024) due to the transportation of crude oil or petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular high-risk shipping practices as set out in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33). On December 23, 2024, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with the transportation of crude oil or petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular and risky shipping practices, as set out in the resolution of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization A.1192(33). On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. The tanker was calling at a russian port, where oil is constantly trading at a price well above $60. In June 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of oil to third countries from russian ports in the Baltic, Black seas and the Pacific region, and resorts to the practice of turning off the AIS signal, conducting so-called 'dark activities' at sea. The tanker is certified by the Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The tanker is managed by Prominent Shipmanagement LTD, established in 2022 in Hong Kong. Prominent is headed by Arjun Deshmukh, who worked for FESCO Wallem Shipmanagement, a joint venture between a russian company and Hong Kong's oldest ship manager. Prominent Shipmanagement LTD took over all the tankers operated by Dubai-based K&O Shipmanagement FZE, an affiliate of the sanctioned russian company Sovcomflot, and the vessels were included in the Indian Register of Shipping (the classification society with the largest market share of the so-called shadow fleet). On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which will 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker has been involved in the export of russian oil to third countries from russian ports, including with the AIS signal turned off. The tanker is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The vessel is affiliated with the ISM manager, the Indian company BRAVO MARINE PVT LTD, which manages the security of another tanker IMO 9274800, which is a member of the shadow fleet involved in the export of russian oil and is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil under western sanctions. Oil exports from russia are the most important source of income for the regime of the aggressor country to finance the war against Ukraine. From February 2022 to November 22, 2024, russia earned almost 546 billion euros in revenues from oil exports (69% of all revenues from fossil fuel exports). In 2023, about a third of all tax revenues in russia came from the sale of oil and gas. The tax on oil production collected by the russian federation in 2023 amounted to 8.9 trillion rubles, or 31% of total federal revenues. According to the CREA data for October 2024, russia's revenues from crude oil exported by sea amounted to 210 million euros per day, 83% of the total volume of russian marine crude oil was transported by 'shadow' tankers, while tankers owned or insured in countries that impose price restrictions accounted for 17% of the total value of russian oil exported in October. Under the sanctions, russia has begun to build up its own shadow fleet of outdated tankers, which has no 'ties' with the G7 and the EU and can transport oil in violation of price caps. russia disguises its shadow activities at sea under the 'convenient' flags of third countries, operates at sea without proper insurance from the international club of insurers, uses complex schemes to conceal the owners of the shadow fleet, uses various deceptive tactics to conceal the origin of its cargo, creates threats to environmental safety with large-scale economic costs for coastal countries due to the growing threat of oil spills, does not use pilots to navigate difficult areas, etc. The shadow fleet of the russian federation continues to provide multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. On January 10, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel. On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which will 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

After restrictions were imposed on russian oil in December 2022, the tanker has been involved in exporting russian oil to third countries since November 2023, and is also involved in violating the G7 and EU oil embargo on the export of crude oil to the EU. Thus, in August 2024, in violation of the oil embargo, the vessel exported russian crude oil from the russian port of Taman in the Black Sea and delivered it to a transshipment point south of the Laconian Gulf, west of the island of Kithira. The international public organization Greenpeace classified the tanker as a shadow fleet. The shadow tanker fleet continues to provide multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil, in particular, from russian ports in the Black and Baltic Seas to China, India, etc. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of the shadow fleet of tankers that transport russian oil around the world and threaten the environment. On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which will 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. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.