ALFA1

The vessel has been implicated in transporting Ukrainian coal and grain from the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Ukraine and has made port calls at ports in the TOT of Ukraine. On 4 June 2024, the vessel was present in the temporarily occupied closed port of Sevastopol, with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) disabled during the port call.
During 2024–2025, the vessel transported more than 20,000 tons of coking coal from the temporarily occupied Ukrainian port of Mariupol, including shipments to Turkey, using the following scheme: it officially called at the russian port of Temryuk; disabled AIS; proceeded to the port of Mariupol for loading; returned to Temryuk with cargo; reactivated AIS; and then sailed to the final port of destination.
The vessel is owned and operated by Nika Shipping LLC (ООО "Ника Шиппинг", TIN 9303032939), a company established under russian law in April 2023 and originally registered in the TOT of Donetsk region (city of Donetsk) at the same address as another russian company, Nika Trade Invest LLC (ООО "Ника Трейд Инвест", TIN 9303023317). In 2025, Nika Shipping LLC was re-registered at an address in Moscow. Nika Trade Invest LLC specialises in the extraction of minerals and kaolin, as well as coal enrichment. Information on the company’s director and founders is not publicly disclosed, which may indicate their involvement in fulfilling the russian state defence order. By the end of 2024, Nika Trade Invest LLC’s revenue had increased by almost 80% to RUB 1.6 billion. In March 2024, the company became a resident of the russian federation’s free economic zone as a kaolin enrichment enterprise and was granted access to the unique "Bila Balka" deposit located near the temporarily occupied city of Volnovakha.
Nika Trade Invest LLC is affiliated with Lyudmila Gurova (TIN 616103297808), the majority beneficiary of another russian company, Roboavia LLC (ООО "Робоавиа", TIN 9102166435, under Ukrainian sanctions), which develops and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Rostov region of the russian federation. In 2023, Roboavia LLC signed an agreement with the Rostov regional authorities to implement an investment project. The company is constructing a plant in the city with the aim of producing 1,100 drones annually. In September 2023, Roboavia LLC also became a resident of the "Era" Military Innovation Complex — a project of the russian Ministry of Defence for the development of advanced weapons.
Technical management of the vessel is carried out by Krechet LLC (ООО "Кречет", Rostov region, TIN 6167197524). The company’s former director, Oleksandr Soldatov (TIN 614104187473), has been serving since 27 July 2023 as the head of the occupation Administration of the Mariupol Seaport (Администрация морского порта Мариуполь, TIN 9310000303). Krechet LLC also manages three other vessels (IMO 1041348, IMO 9419084, IMO 9454125) engaged in exporting Ukrainian coal from the temporarily occupied port of Mariupol.