Shadow Fleet

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of heavy-grade russian petroleum products from the russian ports of Azov and Temryuk to Turkey.

The tanker is engaged in the export of russian oil and petroleum products during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian oil and petroleum products.
The vessel makes port calls at the ports of the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Ukraine, in particular in July 2025 at the port of Crimea, located on the western shore of the Kerch Strait, in the northeastern part of the city of Kerch, near the village of Zhukovka.
The tanker is affiliated with the russian company Volgotrans LLC (ООО "Волготранс", TIN 6317079434), which is under Ukrainian sanctions.

The vessel is involved in bunkering sanctioned tankers of the russian shadow fleet (IMO 9235000, IMO 9224465, IMO 9282508, IMO 9299862, IMO 9292199), which facilitate the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products, particularly from the russian port of Novorossiysk.
The tanker is affiliated with PJSC "Lukoil" through its subsidiary, Lukoil-Bunker LLC (currently in liquidation; its legal successor is Lukoil-Marinebunker LLC (TIN 9705083098)).
The main activities of Lukoil-Marinebunker LLC include the sale of petroleum products (marine fuels), including through transshipment, bunkering, blending, and the wholesale trade in fuels and lubricants.
The company owns oil tankers designed to transport petroleum products and perform loading and unloading operations (bunkering, transshipment). For day-to-day operation and maintenance, the vessels have been transferred to a separate specialized organization, Sea Engineering LLC (TIN 7804180500), under bareboat charter agreements.
As of early September 2026, Lukoil-Marinebunkers LLC is sanctioned by the EU, and Sea Engineering LLC is sanctioned by the EU and Switzerland.

The floating storage unit IMO 9448968 is owned and operated by the russian company "Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft" LLC (ООО "Лукойл-Нижневолжскнефть", TIN 3444070534), one of the largest oil producers engaged in the exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian and Azov Seas. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the designated russian entity PJSC "LUKOIL" (ПАО "Лукойл").
The storage unit is designated to receive and store crude oil from the Yuri Korchagin offshore field, located in russian territorial waters in the northern Caspian Sea, approximately 180 km from Astrakhan and 240 km from Makhachkala. The field was discovered in 2000 by PJSC "LUKOIL", which is currently subject to international sanctions.
Crude oil stored at the tanker IMO 9448968 is transferred ashore to Makhachkala via shuttle tankers with deadweight capacities ranging from 6,000 to 12,000 tons. In Makhachkala, the oil enters the "Makhachkala–Novorossiysk" pipeline, jointly operated by Azerbaijan’s state-owned company SOCAR and the designated russian company PJSC Transneft (ПАО "Транснефть", TIN 7706061801).
FSO IMO 9448968 has also been used in export operations involving russian-origin oil and petroleum products, including via designated tankers IMO 9397676 and IMO 9284116.

During the period when the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products were in effect, the tanker was involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian Black Sea ports to third countries.
In January 2023, the tanker transported over 29,000 metric tons of petroleum products from the russian port of Tuapse. The Tuapse production facility comprises a refinery and maritime terminal owned by the designated russian entity PJSC "NK "Rosneft" (ПАО "НК "Роснефть"). The consignor of the cargo was PJSC "NK "Rosneft", and the consignee was Bellatrix Energy Limited, also a designated entity.
In August 2024, the vessel completed another shipment of russian-origin oil and petroleum products from Tuapse to Turkey.
In late March 2025, the vessel transported russian petroleum products from the russian port of Novorossiysk to the Indian port of Mundra for export.

During the enforcement of the G7 and EU embargo and price cap on russian oil and petroleum products, the tanker has been actively engaged in the export of russian-origin oil and petroleum products. In 2023, it operated out of the port of Tuapse, and since May 2025, it has been active in shipments from the port of Primorsk.
The vessel has also engaged in dark activity (AIS disabled) near russian Black Sea ports in 2023, and in May 2025 near Finland, the Åland Islands, and the russian port of Ust-Luga.
Between May and November 2023, the vessel ІМО 9293337 carried out seven export operations involving russian petroleum products from Tuapse. The Tuapse production facility includes a refinery and maritime terminal owned by the designated russian entity PJSC "NK "Rosneft" (ПАО "НК "Роснефть"). The consignor for these shipments was PJSC "NK "Rosneft", while the consignee was GMS Trading Middle East DMCC.
In February 2026, the tanker exported nearly 224,000 tons of russian petroleum products (seller — PJSC Oil Company "Rosneft") from the port of Tuapse to an area near Cyprus, where it carried out an STS transfer to the tanker IMO 9243318.

The tanker is involved in the export of russian petroleum products from russian ports in the Pacific region, primarily to China, during 2025–2026.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from the ports of Tuapse, Nakhodka, and the Taman crude oil/petroleum products transshipment complex. In 2025, the tanker systematically engages in dark activities in the area near the port of Feodosia (TOT Crimea of Ukraine), near russian ports in the Black Sea.
In February 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of russian oil (almost 55 thousand tons) from the russian port of Tuapse. The sender of the cargo was Amur Trading FZCO, and the recipient was Tejarinaft FZCO, founded on April 25, 2022. Amur Trading FZCO and Tejarinaft FZCO are among a number of oil traders involved in the purchase of russian crude oil/petroleum products from the sanctioned russian PJSC Rosneft Oil Company in 2023.
The tanker is connected to an incident that threatened environmental safety. On February 10, 2025, the tanker suffered a fuel oil leak while bunkering at anchorage in Ambarli, near Istanbul (Turkey) due to a technical malfunction.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker was involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products, bunkering of sanctioned vessels with russian affiliation, and shadow fleet vessels in the russian EEZ in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait.
In January and February 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of russian oil products from the russian port of Tuapse, where a production complex belonging to the sanctioned PJSC Rosneft Oil Company, the Tuapse Oil Refinery with a sea terminal, is located. The sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, and the recipient was Tejarinaft FZCO.
In November 2024, in the waters of the Azov Sea to the north of the Kerch Strait, the tanker bunkered the sanctioned vessel IMO 9851127, affiliated with the sanctioned russian shipping company Paula Rise LLC, which was sanctioned by the United States in February 2023 for its activities in the maritime sector of the russian economy, participation in increasing russia's trade with Turkey and facilitating the supply of materials to construction sites in the Arctic; the transfer of cargo with the tanker IMO 9262924, which is considered part of the shadow fleet of the russian federation and was sanctioned by the United Kingdom in February 2025.
In October 2024, in the waters of the Azov Sea to the north of the Kerch Strait, the tanker bunkered tanker IMO 9224441, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, whose main charterers are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia; the tanker IMO 9222560, which is considered to be part of the shadow fleet involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products using deceptive, high-risk practices, calling at the ports of the TOT of Crimea in Ukraine.
The tanker is affiliated with the Indian companies Maritas Fleet PVT LTD, Bravo Ship Management Pvt Ltd, which were the former ISM managers of the tanker. Maritas Fleet PVT LTD and Bravo Ship Management Pvt Ltd are associated with the management of tankers affiliated with the sanctioned company Hennesea Holdings Limited (UAE), which shortly before the price cap policy came into force acquired 18 oil tankers transporting russian sanctioned crude oil/petroleum products and was sanctioned by the USA for violating the price cap.

During the period when the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products were in effect, the tanker was used in 2023–2025 to export russian petroleum products from the ports of Novorossiysk, Ust-Luga, and Nakhodka to China, India, and other countries.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products mainly from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, including through STS transfers with russian affiliations. Transshipment of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin by STS method at sea allows concealing the ownership and origin of the cargo, legalizing their supply to the EU, the US and other countries. In turn, the sale of crude oil/petroleum products on the world market allows accumulating significant financial resources in the state budget of the russian federation, which are used, among other things, to build up the military potential of the aggressor state and to provide material support for russia's military operations on the territory of Ukraine.
The tanker engages in dark activities in the Kerch Strait (December 2024), near russian ports in the Black Sea (December 2024, January 2023), Turkey (September 2024), and Libya (June 2024).
The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Ukraine, in particular, in December 2024, the tanker IMO 9253246 called at the port of Komysh-Burun, after leaving the port of Komysh-Burun, the tanker called at the Libyan port.
In January and February 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of consignments of russian diesel oil products (almost 63 thousand tons in total) from the russian port of Tuapse, where the production complex belonging to the sanctioned Rosneft Oil Company, the Tuapse Oil Refinery with a sea terminal, is located. The sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, and the recipients were Tejarinaft FZCO and Spg Trading LLC.
In December 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, tanker IMO 9253246 made an STS transfer with tanker IMO 9271327, which is considered part of the shadow fleet, classified by the International NGO Greenpeace as a shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. On January 10, 2025, the United States sanctioned tanker IMO 9271327, with which tanker IMO 9253246 had conducted an STS transmission shortly before the restrictions were imposed.
In December 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, tanker IMO 9253246 conducted an STS transmission with tanker IMO 9240885. The tanker IMO 9240885 is considered part of the shadow fleet, involved in the transportation of Iranian oil, export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports, including by conducting STS transfers in the Kerch Strait area with vessels with russian affiliation (including the tanker IMO 9224441, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied gas), makes calls to the ports of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine (Komysh-Burun, Kerch), in particular in December 2024, March 2025.

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 petroleum products from russian ports, particularly in the Black Sea, including through the use of deceptive practices (turning off AIS, engaging in covert activities).
In particular, in January, February, and March 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of petroleum products (almost 30 thousand tons, 42 thousand tons, and almost 33 thousand tons, respectively) from the russian port of Tuapse, with the sanctioned Rosneft Oil Company PJSC (ПАО "НК "Роснефть") as the sender of the cargo and Tejarinaft FZCO, Voliton DMCC, and Guron Trading Limited as the recipients, respectively. Tuapse hosts a production complex belonging to Rosneft – the Tuapse Refinery with a marine terminal. The tanker was also involved in several other export operations of diesel cargoes of Rosneft from the port of Tuapse on January 09 and February 01, 2023.
The vessel is also involved in the transport of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products.