Marine vessels

The tanker is involved in the energy sector of the russian federation, engaged in the export of russian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the russian ports of Ust-Luga and the Taman transshipment complex handling crude oil, petroleum products, and LPG.

The ice-class supply vessel is part of the transport and technological system of the Prirazlomnoye project, and is on emergency rescue duty near the Prirazlomnaya offshore ice-resistant stationary platform, an oil platform producing crude oil on the russian Arctic shelf and designed to develop the Prirazlomnoye field in the Pechora Sea. The platform is operated by the sanctioned company Gazprom Neft Shelf LLC (a subsidiary of the sanctioned PJSC Gazprom Neft). On May 09, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel IMO 9451642 for activities the purpose or effect of which is to benefit or support the russian government.

The dredger is involved in the construction of a russian offshore liquefied natural gas transshipment complex, in particular in the Kamchatka Territory. The offshore transshipment complex is designed to transship LNG delivered by ice-enhanced LNG carriers, as well as to store LNG in floating storage facilities for short-term storage and to ship LNG to ships that do not have ice reinforcement. On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which enter into force on May 21, 2025, on the vessel for promoting or supporting actions/policies aimed at the exploitation, development or expansion of the energy sector in russia, including energy infrastructure. On June 03, 2025, the sanctions imposed by Switzerland on the vessel came into force.

The vessel is affiliated with the russian company Middle-Volga Shipping Company LLC (ООО "Средне-Волжская судоходная компания") – a designated entity under Ukrainian sanctions – which, within the framework of the russian state procurement system, has served as a supplier to the sanctioned Rosnefteflot JSC (АО "Роснефтефлот") under at least two contracts worth a total of 94.4 million rubles. Rosnefteflot JSC is part of the corporate group of the sanctioned russian PJSC Rosneft Oil Company (ПАО "НК "Роснефть""), a state-owned oil and gas company and one of the largest oil producers in the world. The main activities of Rosnefteflot JSC include, in particular, chartering tanker tonnage for PJSC Rosneft Oil Company and organising river transportation in the interests of PJSC Rosneft Oil Company in the Volga– Don, Azov– Don, Volga and Volga– Baltic basins. The fleet of the vessel’s owning company includes other designated vessels. The tanker has been implicated in bunkering operations in the Kerch Strait area, has made port calls at terminals in the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Crimea (Ukraine), and has systematically engaged in dark activity by disabling its Automatic Identification System (AIS) near russian ports in the Sea of Azov, as well as in the Kerch Strait area in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. In September 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, the tanker bunkered the vessel IMO 9851127 and also bunkered the tanker IMO 9640554, the latter affiliated with the designated russian company Rosewood Shipping LLC (ООО "Роузвуд Шиппинг").

The tanker, over 50 years old, has been implicated in servicing (bunkering) vessels with russian affiliation engaged in grain theft schemes involving the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Ukraine, as well as tankers of the russian shadow fleet, particularly in the Kerch Strait area, including through deceptive shipping practices such as disabling the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and conducting dark activity in the Kerch Strait. In September 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, it bunkered the vessel IMO 9720263, which sails under the russian flag, is subject to U.S. sanctions, and has been involved in the export of Ukrainian grain from the port of Sevastopol (TOT of Crimea, Ukraine) to the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, Syria, and Yemen, with AIS switched off in line with a common pattern for concealing port calls to Ukrainian ports in TOT Ukraine. In August 2024, the tanker IMO 9224441 — affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot (ПАО "Совкомфлот"), the largest state-owned shipping company in russia engaged in servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas, whose main charterers are russia’s largest oil and gas companies and traders — was bunkered in the Kerch Strait (for 5 hours). This tanker, in turn, has been involved in exporting russian crude oil to third countries from russian ports, including with AIS disabled, and in ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of russian petroleum products in the Kerch Strait area in the Black Sea for further transport to third countries. In August 2024, it also bunkered the tanker IMO 9242223, considered part of the russian shadow fleet, which had called at a russian port where oil prices were consistently trading above the G7 price cap; this vessel was designated by the U.S. in January 2025. In June 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, it bunkered (for 4 hours) the tanker IMO 9198783, which was designated by the U.S. in January 2025 for its links to a sanctioned russian company operating in russia’s energy sector. The vessel is owned by Middle-Volga Shipping Company LLC (ООО "Средне-Волжская судоходная компания"), which is subject to Ukrainian sanctions and has acted as a supplier within the russian state procurement system to the sanctioned JSC Rosnefteflot (АО "Роснефтефлот") under at least two contracts worth 94.4 million rubles. JSC Rosnefteflot is part of the corporate group of the sanctioned PJSC NK Rosneft (ПАО "НК "Роснефть""), a russian state-owned oil and gas company and one of the world’s largest oil producers. The main activities of JSC Rosnefteflot include, in particular, chartering tanker fleet tonnage in the interests of PJSC NK Rosneft and organizing river transportation for PJSC NK Rosneft in the Volga–Don, Azov–Don, Volga, and Volga–Baltic basins. The fleet of the vessel’s owning company includes other sanctioned vessels.

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 russian ports, including through STS transfers with vessels with russian affiliation, in particular in the Kerch Strait area, using deceptive, high-risk practices (conducting dark activities in the Kerch Strait area, russian ports in the Black Sea). The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine (Komysh-Burun, Kerch), in particular in December 2024, March 2025. In March 2025, December 2024, multiple STS transfers took place in the area of Temryuk Bay in the Sea of Azov, the Kerch Strait with the tanker IMO 9224441, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied gas. The main charterers of PJSC Sovcomflot's vessels are russia's largest oil and gas companies and traders. PJSC Sovcomflot is involved in servicing major oil and gas projects in russia: Sakhalin-1, Sakhalin-2, Varandey, Prirazlomnoye, Novy Port, Yamal LNG and others. According to the United Against Nuclear Iran, the tanker was involved in the transportation of Iranian oil and after the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine switched to the transportation of 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.

The tanker has made port calls at terminals in the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Crimea (Kerch, Zaliv) and has systematically engaged in dark activity in the area of the Kerch Strait, the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine), and near russian ports in the Azov and Black Seas. It has been involved in the export of russian crude oil and petroleum products. In the Kerch Strait area, it has conducted bunkering operations for the tanker IMO 9224441, which is likewise engaged in the export of russian crude oil and petroleum products and is affiliated – in particular through the sanctioned Sun Ship Management and SCF Management Services Ltd – with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot (ПАО "Совкомфлот"), the largest state-owned shipping company in russia engaged in servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, as well as transporting russian crude oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas. The main charterers of Sovcomflot vessels are russia’s largest oil and gas companies and traders. The vessel’s technical manager is Rodnie Polya LLC (ООО "Родные поля"), which in 2025 was confiscated by the russian state due to non-compliance with russian legislation concerning foreign control over the company. Prior to its renaming, the company operated as RIF Trading House (Торговый дом "РИФ") and was one of the largest russian grain exporters, with a share of over 20% in the grain transshipment market at the seaport of Azov, and was therefore considered a strategic russian business entity. On 11 April 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the captain of the vessel IMO 8862935.

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products 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 established chain of supply of russian crude oil/petroleum products to third countries by conducting 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. The tanker makes calls at the ports of the TOT Crimea of Ukraine, in particular, in February 2025, it called at the port of Komysh-Burun. The tanker is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, which in 2022-2023 was among the top players in the shadow tanker fleet involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products under Western sanctions, and Plutos Ship Management, an Indian company associated with Gatik Ship Management, which in 2023, together with Caishan Ship Management, Galena Ship Management, Gaurik Ship Management, Geras Ship Management, Girik Ship Management, Orion Ship Management, Zidan Ship Management, and other companies, was involved in a scheme to "juggle" vessels operated by Gatik Ship Management to avoid sanctions. Tankers operated by Gatik Ship Management and transferred to other companies continue to export 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. On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which will 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. In June 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.

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 russian ports using deceptive practices (disabling AIS and conducting dark activities). In particular, in February 2023, the tanker was involved in the supply of a batch of marine diesel to the Kalamata region (Greece) from the russian port of Tuapse, the sender was Amur Trading FZCO, the recipient was Tejarinaft FZCO. The vessel called at the port of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine in December 2024, February 2025 with AIS turned off. The tanker is also involved in bunkering ships of the shadow fleet. The vessel is affiliated with Maritas Fleet PVT LTD (India), which was the former ISM manager of the tanker. Maritas Fleet PVT LTD was founded in December 2022 in Mumbai. This company is associated with the ISM management of tankers affiliated with the sanctioned company Hennesea Holdings Limited (UAE), which shortly before the price cap policy came into force acquired 18 oil tankers transporting russian sanctioned russian crude oil/petroleum products and was sanctioned by USA for violating the price cap.

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 mainly from russian ports in the Black Sea, including through STS transfers with russian affiliation. Transshipment of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin by STS method at sea allows concealing the ownership and origin of the cargo, legalizing their supply to the EU, the US and other countries. In turn, the sale of crude oil/petroleum 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 calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine, in particular, in January and April 2025, the vessel called at the port of Komysh-Burun, in April 2025, after calling at the port in the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine, the tanker called at a Turkish port. The tanker is engaged in dark activities in the Kerch Strait area, near russian ports in the Black Sea, calling, in particular, at the Sheskharis terminal (Novorossiysk), which is a transshipment complex, 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). In September 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of a batch of gas oil (more than 30 thousand tons) from the russian port of Tuapse by order of Tüpras Türkiye Petrol Rafinerileri A.Ş., Tejarinaft FZCO), the sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian PJSC Rosneft Oil Company. There is a production complex in Tuapse belonging to the sanctioned Rosneft - the Tuapse Refinery with a marine terminal. The crew of the tanker is recruited from the russian federation. According to United Against Nuclear Iran, the tanker has been part of the armada of ghosts that have been helping Iran transport Iranian oil since October 2024. The tanker is affiliated with the sanctioned company Eco Max FZE (UAE), which manages tankers associated with the illegal supply of Iranian oil. In October 2024, the United States imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which the sanctioned company Eco Max FZE has an interest.

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 mainly from russian ports in the Baltic and Black Seas, including through STS transfers with russian affiliations. Transshipment of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin by STS method at sea allows concealing the ownership and origin of the cargo, legalizing their supply to the EU, the US and other countries. In turn, the sale of crude oil/petroleum 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 engages in dark activities in the Kerch Strait (December 2024), near russian ports in the Black Sea (December 2024, January 2023), Turkey (September 2024), and Libya (June 2024). The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine, in particular, in December 2024, the tanker IMO 9253246 called at the port of Komysh-Burun, after leaving the port of Komysh-Burun, the tanker called at the Libyan port. In January and February 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of consignments of russian diesel oil products (almost 63 thousand tons in total) from the russian port of Tuapse, where the production complex belonging to the sanctioned Rosneft Oil Company, the Tuapse Oil Refinery with a sea terminal, is located. The sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, and the recipients were Tejarinaft FZCO and Spg Trading LLC. In December 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, tanker IMO 9253246 made an STS transfer with tanker IMO 9271327, which is considered part of the shadow fleet, classified by the International NGO Greenpeace as a shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. On January 10, 2025, the United States sanctioned tanker IMO 9271327, with which tanker IMO 9253246 had conducted an STS transmission shortly before the restrictions were imposed. In December 2024, in the Kerch Strait area, tanker IMO 9253246 conducted an STS transmission with tanker IMO 9240885. The tanker IMO 9240885 is considered part of the shadow fleet, involved in the transportation of Iranian oil, export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports, including by conducting STS transfers in the Kerch Strait area with vessels with russian affiliation (including the tanker IMO 9224441, affiliated with the sanctioned PJSC Sovcomflot, the largest state-owned shipping company in russia for servicing and supporting offshore hydrocarbon production, transportation of russian oil, oil products, and liquefied gas), makes calls to the ports of the TOT of Crimea of Ukraine (Komysh-Burun, Kerch), in particular in December 2024, March 2025.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is systematically involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products from russian ports in the Black Sea, and engages in deceptive, high-risk practices, including conducting dark activities near russian ports in the Black Sea, in the Kerch Strait, and STS transmissions with russian affiliations near European countries. The tanker calls at the ports of the TOT Crimea of Ukraine. In May 2025, the vessel called at the Sheskharis terminal (Novorossiysk), which is a transshipment complex, 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). In March 2025, after leaving the Kerch Strait area, where the vessel had been conducting dark activities for two days, the tanker made an STS transfer with tanker IMO 9424651, affiliated with the Moldovan company BPC SHIPMANAGEMENT SRL, which, together with a number of other Moldovan companies, is involved in the creation of part of the shadow fleet involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products. In February 2025, after leaving the Kerch Strait area, where the vessel was engaged in dark activities, the tanker made an STS transmission with tanker IMO 9247443 in the area near Cyprus. Since July 2024, the tanker IMO 9247443 without proper insurance of the International P&I Club has been operating in the area of Greece, Cyprus as a floating transshipment STS hub of russian wet cargo delivered to the area of Greece, Cyprus for transshipment mainly from the russian ports of Tuapse, Novorossiysk, as well as from the Taman crude oil/petroleum 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. STS transmissions with tanker IMO 9247443 took place near Greece in December 2024, when tanker IMO 9272931 arrived in the Greek area from the russian port of Novorossiysk. The IMO tanker IMO 9272931 is involved in other STS transmissions with russian affiliation. Transshipment of crude oil/petroleum products of russian origin by STS method at sea allows concealing the ownership and origin of the cargo, legalizing their supply to the EU, the USA and other countries. In turn, the sale of crude oil/petroleum 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. In March and April 2023, the tanker was involved in the export of russian oil products (more than 60 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 sender of the cargo was the sanctioned russian Rosneft, 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 crude oil/petroleum products after the implementation of the price restriction policy, and Blackford Corporation Limited. The tanker is affiliated with Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment, which in 2023, together with Caishan Ship Management, Plutos Ship Management, Gaurik Ship Management, Girik Ship Management, Galena Ship Management, Orion Ship Management, Geras Ship Management, Zidan Ship Management, was involved in a scheme to "juggle" vessels operated by Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the shadow fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil/petroleum products under Western sanctions.