Sea vessels

The vessel is involved in the delivery of ballistic missiles from Iran to russia (Olya port, Astrakhan region) in August-September 2024. At the end of 2023, Iran and russia agreed to transfer weapons systems from Iran to russia. It is known that among the systems that Iran agreed to provide to russia are Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles (CRBM). In early July 2024, about 40 russian servicemen allegedly traveled to Iran to train on Fath-360 CRBM missiles. In August 2024, 25 20-foot-long containers were loaded with ballistic missiles at a missile facility in Iran. Each 20-foot-long container can hold up to nine CRBMs. In mid-August 2024, these 25 containers were transported to the port of Amirabad on the Caspian Sea in Iran and then loaded onto the "Port Olya-3" vessel by August 30. Subsequently, by September 04, 2024, these 25 containers were unloaded from the vessel "Port Olya-3" and loaded onto railroad cars in the port of Olya (russia). The vessel is owned by a russian sanctioned company, MG-Flot LLC, associated with Astrakhan businessman Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich Pashayev, who built his business around the Olya trade port in Astrakhan region. This particular location was proposed as a key logistics hub for the North-South international transport corridor, the creation and construction of which was overseen and controlled by former russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The key purpose of the transport corridor was to trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route. On 10 September 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

It is involved in the transportation of ammunition from Iran to russia via the Caspian sea for use in the war against Ukraine. On September 10, 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as the property of the sanctioned russian shipping company More Reka Service LLC, whose vessels transported ammunition from Iran to russia.

It is involved in the transportation of Iranian UAV-related equipment across the Caspian Sea. On 10 September 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as the property of the sanctioned russian shipping company Wholesale Company Vafa LLC, whose vessels transported Iranian UAV equipment.

Involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation. In August 2023, the vessel moved thousands of containers to russian ports, which likely contained North Korean ammunition (at least 11 deliveries between the North Korean port of Rajin and russian ports). It is owned by the sanctioned russian shipping company M Leasing LLC. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions to the company's vessels transporting weapons, including "Angara". In June 2024, EU imposed sanctions on a vessel in connection with the transport of goods and technologies used in the russian defence and security sector to wage war in Ukraine. In July 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on a vessel for transporting military cargo from a third country to russia or to territories not controlled by the Ukrainian government.

The non-ice-class vessel is involved in the transportation of russian LNG, including from facilities located in the Arctic zone, in particular, with the AIS signal switched off and frequent course deviations. The vessel has a permit issued by the State Budgetary Institution ‘Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route’, which is founded by the russian federation, to sail along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) along the following route: western border of the NSR - Kara Sea - Gulf of Ob - port of Sabetta - western border of the NSR. The vessel is affiliated through related companies, in particular the sanctioned Sun Ship Management and Gas Carriers SCF MGMT FZCO, with the sanctioned Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia, a key company for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas amid sanctions restrictions on russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The services provided by Sovcomflot are a significant source of income for the russian federation, as more than 70% of russia's revenues come from energy sales, which allows it to finance its war against Ukraine. The main charterers of Sovcomflot vessels are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia. Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: ‘Sakhalin-1‘, ‘Sakhalin-2‘, ‘Varandey’, ‘Prirazlomnoye’, ‘Novy Port’, ‘Yamal LNG’ and others. Prior to russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company's fleet consisted of about 145 vessels. After the sanctions were imposed, Sovcomflot transferred dozens of vessels, including LNG tankers, to the ownership of companies it had set up in foreign jurisdictions in order to circumvent them, starting the practice of constantly ‘juggling’ (transferring) vessels to related companies. The tankers ‘re-registered’ by PJSC Sovcomflot to related companies, according to expert estimates, are part of the so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of the russian federation to continue selling russian oil, oil products and liquefied gas under sanctions. On 26 September 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on 5 LNG tankers, including the ‘SCF La Perouse’ (current name: ‘La Perouse’), involved in the russian LNG sector.

The vessel was involved in the offloading of fossil fuels produced at the sanctioned russian Arctic LNG-2 facility on 25 August 2024 by STS north of the Suez Canal, with AIS disabled, in violation of international maritime law, from the sanctioned LNG tanker ‘Pioneer’. ‘Arctic LNG-2' is the second large-capacity project of the sanctioned Novatek PJSC for natural gas extraction and LNG production on the Gydan Peninsula after Yamal LNG. In November 2023 and February 2024, USA and United Kingdom respectively imposed sanctions on the russian Arctic LNG-2 project, which is of strategic importance for the government of the russian federation. On 23 August 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the LNG tanker ‘Pioneer’ as part of the restrictions on entities supporting the development of the russian ‘Arctic LNG-2’ and other future energy projects. On 05 September 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the LNG tanker ‘New Energy’ as part of the expansion of restrictive measures against the russian energy sector in connection with attempts to export LNG from the sanctioned ‘Arctic LNG-2’. On 26 September 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on a vessel involved in the russian LNG sector.

It is involved in the transportation of weapons (it was photographed in India in 2022 with weapons on board). It is owned by the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (previous name Transmorflot LLC). MG-Flot LLC is linked to Astrakhan businessman Pashayev Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This place was proposed as a key logistic hub of the international transport corridor "North-South", the creation and construction of which was supervised and controlled by former russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The key purpose of the transportation corridor was to trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on Transmorflot LLC and its vessels involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation. In June 2024, EU imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with the transport of goods and technology used by the russian defence and security sector to wage war in Ukraine.

It is involved in the transportation of weapons (ammunition) from North Korea and South Africa to russia. It is owned by the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (previous name Transmorflot LLC). MG-Flot LLC is linked to Astrakhan businessman Pashayev Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This place was proposed as a key logistic hub of the international transport corridor "North-South", the creation and construction of which was supervised and controlled by former russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The key purpose of the transportation corridor was to trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on Transmorflot LLC and its vessels involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation. In June-July 2024, EU and UK also imposed sanctions on the vessel.

It is involved in the transportation of Iranian UAV-related equipment across the Caspian Sea. On 10 September 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as the property of the sanctioned russian shipping company Wholesale Company Vafa LLC, whose vessels transported Iranian UAV equipment.

The vessel is involved in the military logistics network of the russian federation and numerous deliveries of military equipment and ammunition from the DPRK to the russian federation with the automatic identification system turned off. The vessel is owned by the Cypriot company Ibex Shipping Inc. There is no company with this name in the Cyprus company register, while the IMO number of the company corresponds to the one registered in the Marshall Islands. The vessel is operated by the sanctioned russian shipping company JSC Sovfracht, which provides logistical support to the russian ministry of defense and functions as a key node in the military transport networks of russian cargo vessels delivering North Korean weapons from Pyongyang to military facilities in the russian port of Danube. The ammunition delivered by the company's vessels is transported to weapons depots on russia's western border for use in the war against Ukraine. The previous manager of the vessel was the sanctioned russian company LLC Shipping Company Asia, which is a cargo carrier for the russian ministry of defense. In December 2023, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as part of a group of commercial vessels that delivered significant amounts of military equipment and ammunition provided by the DPRK to russia. In June 2024, EU imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with the transport of goods and technology used by the russian defence and security sector to wage war in Ukraine.

It is involved in the transportation of ammunition from Iran to russia via the Caspian sea for use in the war against Ukraine. On September 10, 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as the property of the sanctioned russian shipping company More Reka Service LLC, whose vessels transported ammunition from Iran to russia.

It was involved in transportation of military cargoes (ammunition, shells, armored vests and helmets) from Iran to russia via the Caspian Sea with AIS disconnection. The vessel is also mentioned as being involved in trade cooperation between Iran and russia. From July 2022 to June 2023, the russian-flagged vessel called 11 times at the Iranian ports of Amirabad, Nowshahr, Astara, Anzali, from which it departed for the russian port of Astrakhan and in the opposite direction. The Iranian port of Amirabad is the key point of Iranian drone shipments to russia. Drones are delivered from Tehran to the Iranian port of Amirabad, from where they are transported by sea to Makhachkala, and then by airplanes and ground transportation to launching airfields near the Ukrainian border - Seshcha at the north, in the Bryansk region, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk at the south, in the Krasnodar region. There is a practice of incorrect display of the vessel's load, in some voyages it is impossible to identify the place of loading/unloading. The vessel practises disconnection of AIS near the port, as a result of which the port call is not recorded. On 10 September 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.