Shadow Fleet

The vessel is considered to be part of the so-called "shadow fleet," which is used to circumvent sanctions on crude oil trade with Iran, russia, and Venezuela.
The vessel was involved in transporting Iranian crude oil in Karystos Bay (Petalioi Gulf), and was detained by the Greek Coast Guard in April 2022.
In 2020-2025, the tanker is affiliated with the russian shipping company MG-Flot LLC (formerly Transmorfot LLC).
In May 2022, the US imposed sanctions on Transmorfloot LLC and the company's vessels involved in transporting weapons to russia.
MG-Flot LLC is affiliated with Astrakhan businessman Jamaldin Emir Magomedovich Pashayev, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This location was proposed as the key logistics hub of the North-South international transport corridor, the development and construction of which was supervised and controlled by former russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The key purpose of the transport corridor was trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route. This explains the provision of trade in Iranian oil by a fleet of tankers affiliated with a bank controlled by Mikhail Fradkov.
The vessel is also affiliated with the russian company PSB Leasing LLC (TIN 7722581759), a subsidiary of Promsvyazbank PJSC Promsvyazbank (TIN 7744000912), which is a systemically important state-owned banking institution of the russian federation that finances the russian defense industry, services significant volumes of state defense contracts of the russian Ministry of Defense, and provides banking services, including mortgage loans, to the russian military.
As part of the sanctions against PJSC Promsvyazbank, in February 2022, the US imposed sanctions on five vessels (including IMO 9256860), which at that time were owned by PSB Leasing LLC, a subsidiary of PJSC Promsvyazbank.
On January 15, 2026, the US authorities officially confirmed the seizure of a tanker in the Caribbean Sea as part of Operation Southern Spear. The operation was carried out by marines and sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The vessel is accused of violating the naval blockade and sanctions imposed by the US against Venezuela, as well as transporting Venezuelan oil. The ship last transmitted its coordinates on January 3, 2026, while anchored near Aruba. At the time of the seizure, the tanker was flying under the flag of Guyana (the previous flag of Iran), but the ship had been registered under the flag of the russian federation since January 1, 2026. Since December 25, 2025, the owner and manager of the 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. At the end of December 2025, the company became the owner and manager of two more 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);
— SOKOLO IMO 9153525 (under US sanctions) — a VLCC class tanker involved in the transportation of Iranian and russian oil. The vessel last transmitted its coordinates on January 1, 2026, while in the Caribbean Sea at an anchorage off the coast of Aruba.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports on the Black and Baltic Seas to Turkey, Lebanon, Georgia, and Morocco, acting in the interests of, among others, PJSC "Gazprom".
Additionally, during the fuel crisis in the russian federation, the tanker is involved in the supply chain delivering gasoline to the aggressor country. Specifically, in August 2026, the tanker IMO 9587831 transferred nearly 27,000 metric tons of gasoline—shipped from the port of Mersin (Turkey)—to the tanker IMO 9374416 via a ship-to-ship transfer near Ceuta. In turn, the tanker IMO 9374416 delivered the gasoline cargo to the Vitino terminal (Port of Kandalaksha).

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian petroleum products from the ports of Ust-Luga, Vysotsk, and Novorossiysk to Turkey, Brazil, India, and Malta, specifically on behalf of PJSC Lukoil.
The tanker was also involved in supplying petroleum products to the russian federation during the fuel crisis. In late August 2026, the tanker delivered 31,000 metric tons of petroleum products (presumably gasoline) from Morocco (Tanger Med) to the port of St. Petersburg. The russian company Global Marine Agencies LLC (TIN 7801749027), incorporated on April 14, 2026, is involved in handling this shipment.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker has been involved in the export of russian petroleum products from ports in the Baltic Sea and the Pacific region, primarily to China, and also to Turkey.
The tanker was also involved in supplying petroleum products to russia during the fuel crisis. In early September 2026, the tanker IMO 9353137 delivered nearly 14,000 metric tons of a product needed to increase the octane rating of gasoline from the Chinese port of Huinzhou to the port of Vladivostok.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker was involved in the export of russian petroleum products.
The vessel was also involved in supplying petroleum products to the russian federation during the fuel crisis.
The tanker IMO 9163752, under the command of masters Vladimir Mikhailovich Mozhaev and Umed Khabibulayevich Ganiev (russian citizens), delivered three shipments of diesel fuel totaling over 35,000 metric tons from the port of Ulsan, South Korea, to the port of Nakhodka in July–August 2026.
In addition, in early August 2026, the vessel IMO 9163752 delivered several liters of JET A-1 aviation fuel from the port of Ulsan, South Korea, to the port of Nakhodka. This shipment of fuel was likely delivered to the aggressor country for the purpose of conducting laboratory research, testing samples, and exploring the possibility of certification under russian RT or TS-1 standards.
The supply chain from South Korea to the russian federation for diesel fuel and samples of JET A-1 aviation fuel transported by the tanker IMO 9163752 involves the private Hong Kong-based company Golden Centre Trading Limited (CR No.: 2486074, BRN No.: 67258688), and the russian companies OOO "Turey" (TIN 2540273648) and OOO "Morskoy Briz" (TIN 2508126864).

During the fuel crisis, the vessel was involved in supplying petroleum products to the russian federation.
In August 2026, the tanker, under the command of masters Roman Vladimirovich Bakanov and Yevgeny Anatolyevich Dymov (russian citizens), delivered nearly 22,000 metric tons of diesel fuel from the port of Ulsan, South Korea, to the port of Nakhodka. Subsequently, this cargo was transported by the tanker IMO 9163776 to Magadan and Vladivostok.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker was involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports in the Pacific region to South Korea.
The tanker was also involved in supplying petroleum products to russia during the fuel crisis. Specifically, in August 2026, the tanker, under the command of master Vasily Alekseevich Novikov (russian citizen), delivered nearly 3,000 metric tons of diesel from the port of Kunsan (Gunsan) in South Korea to Vladivostok. The following russian companies were involved in the delivery of this shipment of diesel fuel: Imtrade LLC (TIN 2543013630), Parus LLC (TIN 2537135341), JSC "DNIIMF" (TIN 2536017088), and the foreign company Ivory Management Company Limited.
It is known that Imtrade LLC, within the framework of the russian public procurement system, is a supplier to russian state budgetary institutions—the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "VNIIRO" (TIN 7708245723) and the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Morspasluzhba" (TIN 7707274249)—which, in turn, actively cooperate with the secret divisions of the russian Ministry of Defense responsible for nuclear technical support, the security and operation of the aggressor country’s nuclear arsenal, deep-sea research, reconnaissance of global underwater infrastructure, and the planning of deep-sea sabotage and reconnaissance missions in the interests of the aggressor country.
JSC "DNIIMF," affiliated with the Federal State Agency "russian Maritime Register of Shipping," the russian government, represented by the Ministry of Transport of the russian federation. The main clients of JSC "DNIIMF" are russian government agencies, large transportation and logistics companies, and enterprises in the maritime sector of the aggressor country.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker was involved in 2023–2024 in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports in the Arctic region, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea to Libya, Lebanon, Tunisia, Brazil, Turkey, and Trinidad and Tobago in the interests of the largest oil companies in the russian federation—PJSC Oil Company "Rosneft" and PJSC "Surgutneftegaz".
Additionally, during the fuel crisis in the russian federation, the tanker was involved in supplying gasoline from Morocco to the aggressor country. According to available information, the tanker IMO 9252448, under the command of master Kang Huiye, delivered nearly 32,000 metric tons of gasoline from Morocco (Tanger Med) to the port of St. Petersburg in late August 2026.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports on the Baltic and Black Seas to Tunisia, Ghana, Turkey, Brazil, the UAE, and a transshipment area near Malta, on behalf of russia’s largest oil companies—PJSC "Lukoil" and PJSC "Surgutneftegaz".
The tanker was also involved in supplying petroleum products to the russian federation during the fuel crisis. Specifically, in August 2026, the tanker, under the command of master Sarbjit Singh (an Indian citizen), delivered nearly 37,000 metric tons of gasoline from the port of Tanger Med to the port of Vysotsk. The russian company JSC "Novotoryk Maritime Agency" (TIN 2304031438), which is part of the network of companies affiliated with the sanctioned russian PJSC "Lukoil", as well as Horizon Tangiers Terminals SA and Kairo International Limited, were involved in the import of gasoline from Morocco.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker has been involved in the export of russian petroleum products from the port of Ust-Luga to Turkey and Egypt.
The tanker was also involved in supplying petroleum products to the russian federation during the fuel crisis. In July 2026, the tanker, under the command of master He Qingshan (a Chinese citizen), delivered over 30,000 metric tons of gasoline from Morocco (Tanger Med) to the port of Vysotsk.

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports in the Arctic region, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea to Tunisia, Brazil, Turkey, and Egypt on behalf of the largest oil companies in the russian federation — PJSC Oil Company "Rosneft", PJSC "Surgutneftegaz", and PJSC "Lukoil".
Additionally, during the fuel crisis in the russian federation, the tanker is involved in supplying gasoline from Morocco to the aggressor country. Specifically, in July 2026, the tanker, under the command of master Gong Yanjun (Chinese citizen), delivered nearly 32,000 metric tons of gasoline from the Moroccan port of Tanger Med to the port of Murmansk.

The tanker, during the period of the G7+ oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, is involved in the export of russian crude oil from russian Black Sea ports, particularly to India.
In February and May 2026, the tanker exported nearly 2 million barrels of Urals crude from the Sheshkharis terminal in the port of Novorossiysk to India.
The tanker belongs to the fleet of Cymare Navigation FZC (UAE). This company is linked through a group of tankers to the Cypriot company with a similar name — Cymare Shipmanagement Ltd (IMO 5883981, HE 309832). Cymare Shipmanagement Ltd is managed by: Andrei Hudzasvili (citizen of the Republic of Estonia) – director; Nikolay Spichenok (citizen of the United Kingdom) – director; Victoria Orlova Papaduri (citizen of the Republic of Cyprus) – serves as both director and secretary. A. Hudzasvili and N. Spichenok are also directors of the affiliated Cypriot company Cymare Crew Ltd (ΗΕ 359400). In addition, N. Spichenok is a director of Peremoga Investment Ltd (ΗΕ 300440) and a director of SCF Management Services (Cyprus) Ltd (HE 42739). From 2012 to 2015, N. Spichenok held the position of director of the technical fleet management department of the sanctioned company PJSC Sovcomflot. Sovcomflot PJSC is russia's largest state-owned shipping company providing services for offshore hydrocarbon production and transportation of russian oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas. The main charterers of Sovcomflot PJSC vessels are russia's largest oil and gas companies and traders. Sovcomflot PJSC participates in the servicing of major oil and gas projects in russia: Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG, and others.