Marine Vessels

During the period of the G7+ oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil / petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil / petroleum products from russian ports in the Baltic, Black Sea, and Pacific regions, and resorts to conducting dark activities with the deactivation of AIS in the area of the port of Ust-Luga.
The vessel is affiliated with the sanctioned company Fractal Marine DMCC (UAE), one of the leading operators of the so-called shadow fleet involved in the export of russian crude oil / petroleum products in 2022-2023.
The shipping company Fractal Marine DMCC (UAE) was established shortly before the G7 countries adopted a price-cap policy on russian oil after russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and played a significant role in the transportation of russian oil. Fractal Marine DMCC operated a fleet of 28 tankers as an intermediary between ship owners and charterers.
After the sanctions were imposed, Fractal Marine DMCC tried to challenge the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom but lost in court. After that, the company "re-signed" its fleet to other companies.
The security management of the tanker in 2023-2024 was carried out by Wanta Shipping LLC-FZ (UAE), which also managed 19 other vessels affiliated with Fractal Marine DMCC.
The tanker, IMO 9400980, is part of a vast shipping empire controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, the son of Ali Shamkhani, the chief political advisor to the Supreme Leader of Iran.
Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani uses corruption through his father's political influence at the highest levels of the Iranian regime to build and operate a huge fleet of tankers and container ships. This network transports oil and petroleum products from Iran and russia, as well as other cargoes, to buyers around the world, generating tens of billions of dollars in profits.
The Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani network consists of a huge fleet of ships, ship management firms and front companies that launder billions of dollars in profits from global sales of Iranian and russian crude oil and petroleum products, most often to buyers in China. The network takes significant steps to disguise its operations and obfuscate its ties to the Shamkhani family, Iran, and russia.
The companies Fractal Marine DMCC (UAE), Wanta Shipping LLC-FZ (UAE), with which the tanker IMO 9400980 is affiliated, are among the companies that have played a significant role in the management and operation of the Shamkhani tanker fleet.
On July 30, 2025, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker IMO 9400980.
Since October 24, 2025, the EU has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since December 13, 2025, Switzerland has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On February 12, 2026, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On February 24, 2026, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since March 25, 2026, Canada has imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports using deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities, conducting STS transmissions with other tankers, including the russian shadow fleet, near European countries).
Since December 2023, the tanker has been owned by Marinequest Corp (IMO 6437580), registered in the Seychelles (Suite 10, 3rd Floor, La Ciotat, Mont Fleuri, Mahe Island Seychelles), which is widely used to register shipping companies with an opaque ownership structure, and in July 2024 the same company became the commercial manager of the vessel. In the period from January to July 2024, the tanker was affiliated with the Moldovan company Surt Ship Management SRL, which was the commercial and technical manager of the vessel during this period. This Moldovan company is one of ten Moldovan companies that played a significant role in the maritime transportation of russian crude oil and petroleum products in 2024. In July 2024, the technical management was transferred to Vvave Minder Shipmanagement (Azerbaijan), while the owner of the tanker did not change, which may indicate that the beneficiary of the vessel has not changed. Since March 2025, the technical management has been transferred to another company from Azerbaijan - Tidal Tech Mariners LLC, whose fleet as of May 26, 2025 consists of four tankers, including sanctioned ones (IMO 926165, IMO 9265873, IMO 9290921, IMO 9384095) involved in maritime trade in russian crude oil/petroleum products.
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.
In June 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since September 18, 2025, Australia has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since October 24, 2025, the EU has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since December 13, 2025, Switzerland has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since December 13, 2025, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On February 20, 2026, New Zealand imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products.
From July 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions on a tanker for transporting crude oil/petroleum products that originate in russia or are exported from russia using irregular and high-risk shipping practices as set out in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly resolution A.1192 (33).
On August 12, 2025, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On October 15, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since December 13, 2025, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
On February 21, 2026, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of the vessel.
On February 19, 2026, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.
The tanker has been flying the russian flag since August 2026.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from the russian port of Novorossiysk to the EU countries, using deceptive practices (conducting dark activities near russian ports in the Black Sea, as well as near Romania).
On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of the tanker IMO 9229374.
Since December 13, 2025, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products has been involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products since June 2024 from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, including the use of deceptive practices (conducting dark activities near the russian port of Ust-Luga). The vessel's involvement in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products after the implementation of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products took place after the change of the tanker's owner and managers in May 2024.
The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as a shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment.
On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of the tanker IMO 9380673.
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.
On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
In November 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since December 13, 2025, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The tanker is part of the fleet of Columbia Shipmanagement (Germany) GmbH— the leading international shipping company headquartered in Hamburg and a subsidiary of the Cypriot company Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd. (Schoeller Holdings)—which provides integrated services in the areas of technical ship management, crewing, and maritime services. The Columbia Shipmanagement GmbH fleet consists of 66 vessels (oil tankers, bulk carriers, and gas carriers).
On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of vessel IMO 9488011—Sergey Fedorovich Nechiporenko, a citizen of the russian federation.
Since December 13, 2025, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the tanker as part of restrictions imposed on the russian shadow fleet.

The tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports, including the use of deceptive practices, after the introduction of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products. The vessel has been actively engaged in dark activities in the area near russian ports in the Black Sea, in the Kerch Strait, near Georgia, and Israel.
In January 2025, the tanker called at the Sheskaris terminal (Novorossiysk port), which is a transshipment complex, the final point of the main pipelines of Chernomortransneft JSC (TIN 2315072242, under USA sanctions), a subsidiary of the sanctioned russian Transneft PJSC (TIN 7706061801).
Since May 2023, the owner and commercial manager of the tanker has been Synergy Shipping Ltd, registered in the Marshall Islands at Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake, Majuro MH 96960, Marshall Islands, which is widely used to register companies that own/manage shadow fleet tankers.
On April 11, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the master of the tanker IMO 9393668.
Since December 13, 2025, Ukraine has imposed sanctions on the vessel.

During the G7 and EU oil embargo and price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products to third countries since 2025, in particular, in the interests of PJSC NOVATEK.
In July-August 2025, the vessel transported about 20,000 tons of russian petroleum products from the Sheshkharis terminal in the port of Novorossiysk (russian federation) to the port of Lomé (Togo). The Sheshkharis terminal is a transshipment complex, the end point of the main pipelines of JSC Chernomortransneft (TIN 2315072242, under US sanctions) — a subsidiary of the sanctioned russian company Transneft (TIN 7706061801).

During the period of the oil embargo and the G7+ countries’ price cap policy on russian crude oil and petroleum products, the tanker has been involved in the export of russian petroleum products from the port of Ust-Luga to Turkey and Egypt.
The tanker was also involved in supplying petroleum products to the russian federation during the fuel crisis. In July 2026, the tanker, under the command of master He Qingshan (a Chinese citizen), delivered over 30,000 metric tons of gasoline from Morocco (Tanger Med) to the port of Vysotsk.