ESENTEPE

The tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price cap policy on russian oil/oil products, is involved in the export of russian oil/oil products mainly from russian ports in the Black Sea, and engages in deceptive, high-risk practices near European countries.
In January and February 2023, a tanker was involved in the export of a consignment of diesel (almost 30 thousand tons) from the russian port of Tuapse, where the production complex belonging to the sanctioned PJSC Rosneft Oil Company, the Tuapse Oil Refinery with a sea terminal, is located. The shipper of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, and the recipient was Bellatrix Energy Limited (Hong Kong), which was sanctioned by the United States in December 2023 for significant participation in the trade in russian oil/oil products after the implementation of the price cap policy.
On February 04, 2025, after leaving the russian port of Tuapse, a tanker in the area near Cyprus made an STS transfer on February 21, 2025 with tanker IMO 9422988, which was sanctioned by the United States in March 2025 for transporting Iranian oil.
On February 23, 2025, a tanker in the area near Cyprus carried out an STS transmission with tanker IMO 9247443. Since July 2024, tanker IMO 9247443, without proper insurance of the International P&I Club, has been operating in the area of Greece and Cyprus as a floating STS transshipment hub of russian wet cargo delivered to the area of Greece and Cyprus for transshipment mainly from the russian ports of Tuapse, Novorossiysk, as well as from the Taman oil/oil products transshipment complex, Primorsk, Ust-Luga. Such deliveries from russian ports for further transshipment via tanker IMO 9247443 in European waters are carried out by a number of tankers, including those affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called "shadow" fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil/oil products in 2022-2023 under Western sanctions.
Transshipment of oil/oil products of russian origin at sea using the STS method allows concealing the ownership and origin of the cargo, and legalizing their supply to the EU, the US and other countries. In turn, the sale of oil/oil 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 is affiliated with the well-known Besiktas group of companies.