Shadow Fleet

The tanker is involved in the transportation of millions of barrels of Iranian oil from the port of Changxhing in Dalian (China) on behalf of the Iranian military.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on Hong Kong Heshun Transportation Trading Limited (Hong Kong), the owner and operator of the tanker, in connection with the company's activities in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which Hong Kong Heshun Transportation Trading Limited has an interest.

The VLCC class tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian oil.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9257149. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on Neptune Marine Ltd (Marshall Islands) and Huaxia Trading Ltd (China), which are the owner and manager of the tanker, respectively, in connection with their activities in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which Neptune Marine Ltd has an interest.

The VLCC tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian oil, as well as in the export of russian oil/petroleum products during the G7+ oil embargo and price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products.
On 13 March 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on Turquoise Sea Marine Limited (Seychelles), the owner of the tanker, for its activities in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. On the same date, the United States imposed sanctions on the tanker as property in which Turquoise Sea Marine Limited has an interest.
Since December 25, 2025, the owner and manager of the large-tonnage tanker has been the russian company Burevestmarin LLC, established in July 2025. The director and sole owner of the company is Ilya Bugay, an entrepreneur from the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea, Ukraine. The company also became the owner of two other tankers:
MARINERA IMO 9230880 (under US sanctions), detained on January 7, 2026, by the US Coast Guard in the North Atlantic south of Iceland. The vessel was detained after a two-week pursuit in the Atlantic after it evaded inspection in the Caribbean Sea. As of January 15, 2026, the tanker is under US control and has been delivered to Moray Firth (Scotland, UK);
GALLILEO IMO 9256860 (under US sanctions), detained on January 15, 2026, in the Caribbean Sea as part of Operation Southern Spear by marines and sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford on charges of violating the US naval blockade and sanctions against Venezuela, as well as transporting Venezuelan oil.
As of January 15, 2026, the tanker IMO 9153525 last transmitted its coordinates on January 1, 2026, while anchored in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Aruba.

The tanker is engaged in ship-to-ship transfers to transport millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9203277. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on Sea Services Providers NV (Suriname), the owner and manager of the tanker, in connection with the company's activities in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which Sea Services Providers NV has an interest.

The VLCC-class tanker has been implicated in the transportation of Iranian crude oil.
On 13 March 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on Itaugua Services Inc (Liberia), the owner and manager of the tanker, for its activities in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.
On the same date, the United States imposed sanctions on the tanker as property in which Itaugua Services Inc holds an interest.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9183271. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.

The VLCC class tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian oil. The tanker was also used in the interests of the russian federation to carry out STS transfers of russian petroleum/petroleum products during the period of the G7+ petroleum embargo and price-cap policy on russian petroleum/petroleum products.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on United Tankers Ltd (Marshall Islands) and Lake View Ship Management Private Limited (India), which are the owner and manager of the tanker, respectively, in connection with their activities in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy.
On March 13, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which United Tankers Ltd has an interest.

The tanker is affiliated with the Indian company BSM Marine Limited Liability Partnership, which was sanctioned by USA on February 24, 2025 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction in the purchase, acquisition, sale, transportation or marketing of crude oil/petroleum products or petrochemicals from Iran.
On February 24, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on a tanker as on the property in which the sanctioned company BSM Marine Limited Liability Partnership has an interest.

The tanker is affiliated with the Malaysia-based IMS Ltd, which was sanctioned by the United States on 24 February 2025 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction involving the purchase, acquisition, sale, transportation, or marketing of crude oil, petroleum products, or petrochemicals from Iran.
On the same date, the United States imposed sanctions on the tanker as property in which the sanctioned company IMS Ltd has an interest.

The tanker has been implicated in activities of Malaysia-based IMS Ltd (IMS Ltd), which was sanctioned by the United States on February 24, 2025, for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction involving the purchase, acquisition, sale, transportation, or marketing of crude oil/petroleum products or petrochemicals from Iran.
On February 24, 2025, the United States also imposed sanctions on the tanker as property in which the sanctioned company IMS Ltd has an interest.

The tanker was used by the oil broker Petronix Energy Trading Limited (Hong Kong) to transport and further deliver to China hundreds of metric tons of Iranian oil purchased from Naftiran Intertrade Company, which is the marketing arm of the sanctioned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). Iran relies on brokers outside of Iran to facilitate the sale and transport of its crude oil to end users abroad, largely in the UAE and China.
The tanker is affiliated with Alkonost Maritime DMCC (UAE), which was sanctioned by USA on February 24, 2025 for knowingly engaging in a significant transaction in the purchase, acquisition, sale, transportation or marketing of crude oil or petroleum products or petrochemicals from Iran.
On February 24, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which the sanctioned company Alkonost Maritime DMCC has an interest.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9271406. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.

The VLCC-class tanker is involved in the transportation of multiple shipments of Iranian oil to refineries in China.
The tanker is affiliated with Sunny Land Trading Ltd (Seychelles), which was sanctioned by USA on February 24, 2025 for its activities in petroleum sector of the Iranian economy
On February 24, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which the sanctioned company Sunny Land Trading Ltd has an interest.

The VLCC-class tanker is involved in the transportation of multiple shipments of Iranian oil to refineries in China.
The tanker is affiliated with Artemis Heart Ltd (Seychelles), which was sanctioned by USA on February 24, 2025 for its activities in petroleum sector of the Iranian economy
On February 24, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which the sanctioned company Artemis Heart Ltd has an interest.