VOLGONEFT-105

The vessel is owned by the russian company Middle-Volga Shipping Company LLC (ООО "Средне-Волжская судоходная компания"), which is subject to Ukrainian sanctions. Within the russian state procurement system, it has acted as a supplier to the sanctioned Rosnefteflot JSC (АО "Роснефтефлот") under at least two contracts worth RUB 94.4 million. Rosnefteflot JSC is part of the group controlled by the sanctioned russian Rosneft Oil Company PJSC (ПАО "НК "Роснефть""), a state-owned oil and gas company and one of the world’s largest oil producers. The main activities of Rosnefteflot JSC include chartering tanker fleet tonnage in favor of Rosneft and organizing river transportation for Rosneft within the Volga– Don, Azov– Don, Volga, and Volga– Baltic basins.
The owner’s fleet includes other sanctioned vessels. The tanker engaged in dark activity in the Kerch Strait area in April, May, and June 2023, as well as in November 2024. In November 2022, it conducted a ship-to-ship (STS) cargo transfer with the tanker IMO 9309576, which is under United States, European Union, and Swiss sanctions and is affiliated with the sanctioned russian Sovcomflot PJSC (ПАО "Совкомфлот"). Sovcomflot is the largest state-owned shipping company in russia, servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production and the transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas, with its primary charterers being the largest russian oil and gas companies and traders.