SOUL

The tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports, including the use of deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities, making STS transmissions with russian affiliations). The tanker is involved in an organized chain of supply of russian crude oil/petroleum products to third countries by means of STS transmissions in the area near European countries, in particular, with the sanctioned tanker IMO 9247443, which has been in the area near Greece since July 2024, Cyprus has been acting as a transshipment STS hub for russian crude oil/petroleum products, which are transported by tankers mainly from the russian ports of Tuapse, Novorossiysk, Taman crude oil/petroleum products transshipment complex for transshipment near European countries.
In March 2025, the vessel called at the Sheskharis terminal (Novorossiysk), which is a transshipment complex and the end point of the main pipelines of Chernomortransneft JSC (TIN 2315072242, under USA sanctions), a subsidiary of the sanctioned russian Transneft PJSC (TIN 7706061801).
The tanker is affiliated with the Turkish company Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS, which was the commercial and ISM manager of the vessel from July 2022 to March 2024. Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS is one of the top three ranking Turkish operators, which in 2023 provided transportation of hundreds of millions of barrels of russian crude oil/petroleum products. The fleet of the Turkish top three - Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS and the sanctioned Beks Gemi İsletmeciligi ve Tic and Active Denizcilik ve Gemi - transported a total of 49 million barrels of russian crude oil/petroleum products in 2023.
Since March 2024, the tanker has been managed by the Turkish company Sand Gemi Isletmeciligi AS. Sand Gemi Isletmeciligi AS has the same legal address as two other Turkish ship managers Tokyo Gemi Isletmeciligi AS and Cape Gemi Isletmeciligi AS. Eight tankers of these companies were operated by Beks Tanker Isletmeciligi AS in 2023 and early 2024, and one tanker was operated by the sanctioned Beks Gemi Isletmeciligi ve Tic.
On May 09, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the tanker as part of the restrictions on the shadow fleet of the russian federation, including for engaging in activities aimed at destabilizing Ukraine, undermining/threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine or benefiting from or supporting the government of russia, and participating in the transportation of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin, in particular, from russia to a third country.
On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which enter into force on May 21, 2025, on the tanker for the transportation of crude oil/petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular high-risk shipping practices as specified in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33).
On June 03, 2025, the sanctions imposed by Switzerland on the vessel came into force.