Marine vessels

The vessel is involved in the transportation of russian crude oil during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil and the price cap policy at $60 per barrel of russian oil. The tanker was transporting russian Urals crude oil at a price of more than $70 after the price-cap policy came into effect. The owner and manager of the tanker is Kroeger Tankers Fze (UAE), the previous owner was HS Atlantica Limited (Liberia), a sanctioned company involved in the transportation of crude oil originating in russia. In January 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the HS Atlantica (current name Avril) for violating the price-cap policy.

The vessel is involved in the transportation of russian crude oil during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil and the price cap policy at $60 per barrel of russian oil. The tanker was transporting russian crude oil at a price of over $75 after the price-cap policy came into effect. The owner and manager of the tanker is the russian company South Fleet LLC, the previous owner was the sanctioned company Lumber Marine SA, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia, a key company for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas amid the application of sanctions restrictions to russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The services provided by Sovcomflot are a significant source of income for the russian federation, as more than 70% of russia's revenues come from the sale of energy, which allows it to finance its war against Ukraine. The main charterers of Sovcomflot vessels are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia. "Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: "Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG, and others. Prior to russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company's fleet consisted of about 145 vessels. After the sanctions were imposed, Sovcomflot transferred dozens of vessels to the ownership of companies it had set up, including in foreign jurisdictions, in order to circumvent them, and began the practice of constantly "juggling" (transferring) vessels to affiliated companies. According to expert estimates, the tankers transferred by Sovcomflot to related companies are part of the so-called "shadow tanker fleet" of the russian federation to continue selling russian oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas under Western sanctions. In October 2023, USA imposed sanctions on the "SCF Primorye" vessel for violating the price-cap policy.

The vessel is involved in the transportation of russian crude oil during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil and the price cap policy at $60 per barrel of russian oil. The tanker was involved in the sale of russian crude oil at a price of more than $80 after the price-cap policy came into effect. The owner of the tanker is NS Leader shipping Incorporated, and the tanker is managed by Invest Fleet LLC, a russian company affiliated with the sanctioned Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia, a key company for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied natural gas amid sanctions restrictions on russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The services provided by Sovcomflot are a significant source of income for the russian federation, as more than 70% of russia's revenues come from the sale of energy, which allows it to finance its war against Ukraine. The main charterers of Sovcomflot vessels are the largest oil and gas companies and traders in russia. "Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: "Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG, and others. Prior to russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the company's fleet consisted of about 145 vessels. After the sanctions were imposed, Sovcomflot transferred dozens of vessels to the ownership of companies it had set up, including in foreign jurisdictions, in order to circumvent them, and began the practice of constantly "juggling" (transferring) vessels to affiliated companies. According to experts, the tankers transferred by Sovcomflot to related companies are part of the so-called "shadow tanker fleet" of the russian federation to continue selling russian oil, oil products and liquefied natural gas under Western sanctions. In February 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the NS Leader for violating the price-cap policy.

The vessel is involved in the supply of fuel to TOT Crimea on behalf of the sanctioned JSC "Sovfracht" (TIN 7702059030) - one of the largest independent transport and forwarding companies of russia, which acts as a key node in the military transport network of russian cargo vessels that deliver North Korean weapons to military facilities objects, which are then transferred to weapons depots on the western border of russia for use in the war against Ukraine. The vessel belongs to the fleet of the sanctioned LLC "Trans-Flot" - one of the largest shipping companies in russia, which carries out cargo transportation on the internal waterways of russia and international sea routes. The main cargoes for transportation by the company are crude oil and oil products, edible oils, liquid chemical cargoes. Geography of activity - territories of the North-Western, Central, Volga, Azov-Don, Kama basins with access to the coastal waters of the Baltic, Black, Azov, Mediterranean, Caspian seas, northern ports of russia. In December 2016, USA imposed sanctions on two vessels of Trans-Flot LLC, including "Marshal Zhukov".

The vessel is involved in the supply of fuel to the TOT of Crimea on behalf of the sanctioned JSC Sovfracht (TIN 7702059030), one of the largest independent freight forwarding companies in russia, which acts as a key node in the military transport network of russian cargo vessels delivering North Korean weapons to military facilities, which are subsequently transported to weapons depots on russia's western border for use in the war against Ukraine. The vessel belongs to the fleet of the sanctioned Trans-Flot LLC, one of the largest shipping companies in russia, which carries out cargo transportation on russian inland waterways and international sea routes. The main cargoes transported by the company are crude oil and oil products, edible oils, and liquid chemicals. The company operates in the North-West, Central, Volga, Azov-Don and Kama basins with access to the coastal waters of the Baltic, Black, Azov, Mediterranean and Caspian Seas and northern russian ports. In December 2016, USA imposed sanctions on two vessels of Trans-Flot LLC, including "Stalingrad".

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the port of Feodosia (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) and its transfer in August 2023 to the port of Famagusta (Northern Cyprus), as well as the theft of grain in October 2023 and its transfer through the Bosphorus Strait (an established route to the Syrian port of Tartus) with the AIS signal switched off. The vessel was in the port of Feodosia from 22 July to 14 August 2023, delivering cargo from the Turkish port of Gulluk, and loading grain that was subsequently transported to the port of Famagusta. The vessel called at the port of Sevastopol (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) in May 2023.

The vessel is involved in the theft of sheet metal scrap from the metallurgical plant Azovstal (TOT of Mariupol, Donetsk region, Ukraine) and its importation to Rostov-on-Don (russia), in particular, accompanied by two russian artillery boats of project 1204 ‘Shmil’. The vessel was also involved in the importation of concrete fortifications for the russian army's defences to the TOT of Ukraine (Mariupol) with the AIS signal disabled.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the Avlita grain terminal in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) in July, August2022 for transshipment to the russian port of Kavkaz, as well as from the port of Kerch (TOT Crimea, Ukraine). The Ukrainian court served the captain of the vessel with a notice of suspicion. The captain of the vessel made seven calls to the closed commercial seaports of Sevastopol and Kerch (TOT Crimea) to load the looted Ukrainian grain, periodically turned off the AIS and entered fictitious information about the course of the vessel, which was allegedly heading to russian ports, rather than to the closed seaports of TOT Crimea. The Turkish agricultural company Bek Tarim, the russian company Fast LLC (TIN: 2376000774), and Petrokhleb-Kuban LLC (TIN: 2310109650) are involved in the export of Ukrainian grain by ship. The vessel is managed by Kuban Marine Company LLC (TIN: 2310213041), a russian company affiliated with Petrokhleb-Kuban LLC. Kuban Maritime Company operates three other vessels that make illegal voyages to the closed ports of the TOT of Crimea. The vessel was also involved in a scheme to smuggle ilmenite with AIS disabled for the Crimean Titanium plant seized by the TOT of Crimea through overloading in the Black Sea for delivery to the port of Kerch (TOT of Crimea). The vessel has been in violation of Ukrainian law and the so-called ‘Crimean sanctions’ since 2015. The vessel has been making numerous calls to the port of Kerch (TOT Crimea) since 2015, including a raid transshipment in the Kerch Strait.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain (corn, barley) from the ports of Sevastopol and Kerch (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) with AIS disabled and its export, in particular to the port of Kavkaz for transshipment, the Turkish port of Samsun. In 2019-2020, the vessel was also involved in schemes to deliver Ukrainian ilmenite concentrate to the TOT of Crimea for the Ukrainian titanium plant Krymskiy Titan, which was seized by russia, when the concentrate was delivered from Odesa (Ukraine) to Turkey. In Turkey, the ilmenite was loaded onto a vessel, which delivered it to the port of Kamysh-Burun (TOT Crimea) with the AIS turned off.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the ports of Sevastopol, Feodosia, Kerch (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) with AIS disabled and its transportation to Turkey and the russian port of Kavkaz. In particular, on 04-06 January 2024, the vessel loaded 3,000 tonnes of wheat at a grain terminal in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol, then delivered it to the anchorage of the port of Kavkaz for a bulk carrier bound for Indonesia. The vessel is also involved in the supply of Turkish construction mixtures to the occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian court served a notice of suspicion to the ship's captain and arrested the vessel in absentia.

It calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine), in particular, delivering products from Turkey. In particular, on 20 April 2024, the vessel entered the temporarily occupied Sevastopol, moored at berth 20 of Avlita (opposite the grain terminal) at coordinates: 33.5496, 44.6256. The vessel arrived from the Turkish port of Bartin, where it was loaded on 14-17 April 2024. The AIS signal was switched off between 17 and 26 April 2024. Thus, the vessel made a direct voyage from Turkey with cargo to the TOT of Crimea, which is a violation of Turkish Circular 635/2017 and International Maritime Organization Resolution 1183.

The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea, delivering products, including salt, from the port of Ereğli (Turkey). Thus, while in the Turkish port from 29 March to 03 April 2024, the vessel loaded about 2,000 tonnes of salt in big bags and, after leaving the port on 03 April 2024, switched off AIS and headed for the coast of the TOT of Crimea. The vessel arrived in Komyshovaya Bay on 05 April 2024 and was moored at berth 215. According to the schedule of vessels' deployment and movement in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol, on 09 April 2024, the vessel sailed back to the port of Ereğli without cargo. On 10 April 2024, the AIS signal was restored off the coast of Turkey. The vessel docked at the same anchorage in the port of Ereğli where it was loaded with the salt cargo. On 15 April 2024, the vessel is likely to have once again headed to the port of Sevastopol with a new batch of salt.