Marine vessels

The tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, has been involved since June 2024 in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports, as well as through STS transfers, in particular in April 2025 with the tanker IMO 9304825 (under UK sanctions since February 2025) near russian ports in the Baltic Sea. The vessel engages in dark activities near the Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov in June and July 2024, and then near Romania in July 2024. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of a shadow fleet of tankers that transport russian oil around the world and threaten the environment. On May 20, 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.

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products has been involved since September 2024 in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports in the Black and Baltic Seas, including the use of deceptive practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities, in particular near the russian port of Ust-Luga). At the same time, since August 2024, the owner and commercial manager of the tanker is Zest Chartering Ltd, registered in the Seychelles at Suite 10, 3rd Floor, La Ciotat, Mont Fleuri, Mahe Island Seychelles, which is widely used to register companies of owners/managers of shadow fleet tankers. Since August 2024, the ISM manager of the tanker is Neptune Navigators LLC, incorporated in Azerbaijan. As of June 05, 2025, the fleet of Neptune Navigators LLC also includes two sanctioned tankers of the russian shadow fleet - IMO 9260823 and IMO 9434890. On May 20, 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.

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products has been involved since May 2023 in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports in the Black and Baltic Seas, including the use of deceptive practices (disabling AIS, in particular near the russian port of Ust-Luga). The tanker is affiliated with Hung Phat Maritime Trading (Vietnam), which as of June 05, 2025 is the owner and commercial manager of the vessel and the fleet of which includes three other sanctioned oil tankers IMO 9284594, IMO 9326720, IMO 9374868, which are considered to be part of the shadow fleet of the russian federation. On May 20, 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.

The tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, is involved in the export of russian oil/petroleum products using deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities near russian ports in the Black Sea, in the area south of the Kerch Strait, including in the area near the ports of the TOT Crimea of Ukraine, conducting STS transmissions with russian affiliations near European countries). In particular, in June 2025, near Cyprus, the vessel made an STS transmission with the sanctioned tanker of the russian shadow fleet IMO 9258026, while the tanker IMO 9384095 arrived in the Cyprus area from the area near the russian port of Tuapse, where it had been conducting dark activities for a long time in May 2025. The tanker is affiliated with the Moldovan company MRC Shipmanagement SRL, which was the technical manager of the vessel from March 2023 to December 2024, while in May 2023 the owner of the vessel became New Star Marine Ltd (IMO 6392551), registered in the Seychelles at Suite 10, 3rd Floor, La Ciotat, Mont Fleuri, Mahe Island Seychelles, which is widely used for registration of shipping companies involved in the transportation of russian crude oil/petroleum products. Since December 2024, the ISM management of the vessel has been transferred to Tidal Tech Mariners LLC (Azerbaijan), while the owning company has not changed, which may indicate that the beneficiary of the vessel has not changed. As of June 09, 2025, Tidal Tech Mariners LLC provides ISM management of three more oil tankers of the russian shadow fleet - two sanctioned tankers IMO 9261657, IMO 9290921 and IMO 9265873. After the change of management, the tanker IMO 9384095 continues to export russian crude oil/petroleum products. On May 20, 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.

The tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products using deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities near russian ports in the Black Sea, making STS transfers with russian affiliates near European countries). In particular, in April 2025, near Romania, the tanker IMO 8808525 made an STS transmission with the tanker IMO 9236975, which arrived to make the transmission from the russian port of Novorossiysk. In March 2025, near Cyprus, the tanker IMO 8808525 made an STS transfer with the tanker IMO 9424651 (under EU and Swiss sanctions since May 2025), which arrived in the area near Cyprus from the russian port of Tuapse, where it made a number of STS transfers. On May 20, 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.

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 to third countries from russian ports in the Baltic Sea, and resorts to the practice of turning off the AIS signal and conducting so-called 'dark activities', in particular in the Baltic Sea near the coasts of russia, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In September 2021, the United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) included the tanker in a public list of vessels suspected of involvement in the illegal transportation of Iranian oil. russia has created its own shadow fleet of tankers, mostly made up of old tankers, many of which have experience in operating under sanctions imposed on regimes such as Iran. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more than 100 vessels that previously helped Tehran export Iranian oil are now helping russia transport russian oil/oil products. In May 2022, UANI predicted that russia would use a 'ghost armada' to ensure that excess profits from oil exports flow to its Chinese partner, in particular. The shadow tanker fleet continues to generate multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin by circumventing sanctions by disguising its activities under third-country flags, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental safety hazards with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequately insured shadow fleet tankers. On May 20, 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.

The tanker has been involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the Baltic Sea to third countries since July 2023, in violation of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil. In particular, the vessel is involved in STS transfers of russian oil to the vessel LIGERA in the Laconikos Gulf (Greece). According to Kpler, on January 09, 2024, the LIGERA was recorded by the MarineTraffic ship spotter off the coast of Crete in ballast with a draft of 11.3 m. On January 10, 2024, the tanker sailed to the Laconian Gulf, where it made an STS transfer on the same day, receiving URALS oil from the NAUTILUS (IMO 9434890). According to Kpler, NAUTILUS was loaded with 729 thousand barrels of Urals oil from the port of Ust-Luga. The LIGERA, loaded with russian oil, concealed information about the change in the ship's draft and headed to Venezuela, where an STS transfer of oil to the MORNING SUN (IMO 9110183) was detected between February 28 and March 1, 2024, which delivered 600 thousand barrels of russian oil to the Cardon refinery in Venezuela on March 02, 2024. The tanker is affiliated with Adel Ship Management SRL (Moldova), which manages tankers that help russia transport crude oil under western sanctions. Adel Ship Management SRL is considered one of the largest carriers of russian crude oil, in particular, in the first half of 2024, the Moldovan company shipped 2.6 million barrels of oil, which is approximately 2% of total russian exports. RLRISE Moldova, a community of investigative journalists, programmers, and activists from the Republic of Moldova and Romania, attributes the tanker to the shadow fleet involved in russian oil exports. On May 20, 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.

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 transportation of russian crude oil/oil products from russian ports in the Baltic Sea using deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, in particular, in the area of the port of Ust-Luga). The tanker is affiliated with the Indian company Maritas Fleet Private Ltd, which was the ISM manager of the vessel from December 2022 to February 2024. The dominance of India as the technical and ISM manager of shadow fleet tankers may indicate the creation of a control center for shadow fleet vessels, masking the beneficial owners. Established in 2022, Maritas Fleet Private Ltd has managed 29 tankers, including those under sanctions, affiliated with the sanctioned company Hennesea Holdings Limited. Hennesea Holdings Limited was founded in late 2022 in the UAE and owned 18 vessels that transported crude oil of russian origin at a price above $60 per barrel. Shortly before the introduction of the price-cap policy, the company acquired old tankers involved in the transportation of russian crude oil and petroleum products with calls to russian ports. On May 20, 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.

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 mainly to India and in dark activities at sea. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of a shadowy fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. The tanker is affiliated with the Turkish company Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS, which was the commercial and ISM manager of the vessel from October 2023 to March 2024. Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS is one of the top three ranking Turkish operators, which in 2023 provided transportation of hundreds of millions of barrels of russian oil and oil products. The fleet of the Turkish top three - Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS and the sanctioned Beks Gemi Isletmeciligi ve Tic and Active Denizcilik ve Gemi - transported a total of 49 million barrels of russian oil/oil products in 2023. Since March 2024, the tanker has been managed by the Turkish company Tokyo Gemi Isletmeciligi AS. Tokyo Gemi Isletmeciligi AS has the same legal address as two other Turkish ship managers, Sand Gemi Isletmeciligi AS and Cape Gemi Isletmeciligi AS. Eight tankers of these companies were operated by Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS in 2023 and early 2024, and one tanker was operated by the sanctioned Beks Gemi Isletmeciligi ve Tic. On May 20, 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.

The vessel is involved in the transportation of russian crude oil during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil and the price cap policy at $60 per barrel of russian oil. The tanker was transporting russian Urals crude oil at a price of more than $70 after the price-cap policy came into effect. In 2024-2025, the tanker transported russian oil from the port of Primorsk to China. The shipments were carried out under the command of captain Ivan Nikiforov. The tanker is affiliated through related companies with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia that services and supports offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian crude oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas. The major charterers of PJSC Sovcomflot's vessels are russia's largest oil and gas companies and traders. PJSC Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG and others. After the sanctions were imposed, PJSC Sovcomflot transferred dozens of vessels to the ownership of companies it had set up, including in foreign jurisdictions, and began the practice of constantly 'juggling' (transferring) vessels to related companies. According to expert estimates, the tankers 're-registered' by PJSC Sovcomflot to related companies are part of the so-called 'shadow tanker fleet' of the russian federation to continue selling russian crude oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas under Western sanctions. In December 2023, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker ІМО 9299719 for non-compliance with the price-cap policy for russian crude oil. On February 24, 2025, EU imposed sanctions on a tanker associated with a sanctioned person (the sanctions come into force on February 25, 2025). On March 04, 2025, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the tanker as a vessel associated with a sanctioned entity. On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of vessel IMO 9299719. On May 20, 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.

The tanker is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading shadow fleet operators, which in 2022-2023 played a significant role in the transportation of russian crude oil/petroleum products under Western sanctions, and the Gatik-related company Caishan Ship Management, which in 2023, together with Gaurik Ship Management, Galena Ship Management, Plutos Ship Management, Geras Ship Management, Girik Ship Management, Orion Ship Management, Nautilus Shipping, Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment, Zidan Ship Management, was involved in a scheme to "juggle" vessels operated by Gatik Ship Management to avoid sanctions. Gatik Ship Management and Caishan Ship Management were the previous managers of the tanker. Tankers operated/managed by the Indian Gatik Ship Management continue to be used by related companies and call at russian ports. The tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products using deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities near Malta and Egypt, conducting STS transmissions with russian affiliation, in particular, near Egypt in 2025). In 2025, the vessel is actively conducting STS transmissions near Egypt, including with sanctioned vessels of the russian shadow fleet affiliated with the Indian shadow fleet operator Gatik Ship Management (IMO 9314882, IMO 9299123, IMO 9258026). 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.

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products using high-risk practices (STS transfers with tankers of the russian shadow fleet (in April 2025 with tanker IMO 9419151, in January, February 2025 with tanker IMO 9258026), including with sanctioned vessels (in May, June 2025 with tankers IMO 9198290, IMO 9290517), in particular near Egypt). 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.