SOKOLO

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.