Marine vessels

The tanker during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo, the price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products, actively engaged in dark activities near the russian ports of Novorossiysk, Ust-Luga, FSO IMO 9217979 in the Kola Bay, as well as near Iran. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of a shadow fleet of tankers transporting russian oil around the world and threatening the environment. The tanker is affiliated with Sparta Shipmanagement Limited, a company associated with the sanctioned Aleksejs Halavins, who in 2022 stated that he was the general manager of Sparta Shipmanagement Limited, as well as the chairman of the board of directors and the ultimate beneficial owner of the OGC group. Aleksejs Halavins, a Latvian citizen, was deeply involved in the trade of russian crude oil by the sanctioned company Black Pearl and has been an active buyer of russian oil at prices above the price cap since 2023. Halavins owns and manages the UAE-based sanctioned company Conrad Management Company LLC FZ (Conrad) and is the CEO of the Liberian-registered sanctioned companies Lule One Services Inc (Lule) and Lathyrus Shipping Company (Lathyrus). Halavins holds senior positions in the UAE-registered sanctioned companies International Marine Management FZE (International Marine) and Fulda Shipping Co (Fulda), both registered in Liberia. According to UANI, the tanker was involved in the transportation of Iranian oil and after the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion into 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. 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.

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, and actively engages in dark activities in the Kerch Strait area, TOT of Crimea. The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of a shadow fleet of tankers that transport russian oil around the world and threaten the environment. According to the United Against Nuclear Iran, the tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian oil, and after the start of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has been helping russia to transport russian crude oil/petroleum products. The tanker is included in the list of "The Maduro-Khamenei Oil Alliance: List of Foreign Flagged Vessels Shipping Iranian and Venezuelan Oil" compiled by the United Against Nuclear Iran. According to UANI, the vessel is one of the tankers that do not belong to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company, sail under foreign flags (not the flag of Iran) and participate in Iranian-Venezuelan trade, which has been actively developing since Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement in June 2022 to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, military and economic spheres. Under this agreement, Iran supplies Venezuela with crude oil and gas condensate, and Venezuela supplies Iran with fuel oil. The tanker is connected to an incident that threatens environmental safety in the Gulf of Finland and poses significant risks to coastal countries. In February 2025, explosions occurred in the engine room of a tanker loaded with fuel oil in the port of Ust-Luga. The 24-member crew managed to reach the shore without injury, but as a result of the incident, the vessel ran aground with its stern, and the russian Emergencies Ministry installed booms around the vessel. The Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport of russia stated that the cargo tanks of the tanker were not damaged and there was no leakage of oil products. The tanker is affiliated with the sanctioned Cypriot company Lagosmarine Limited, which was the tanker's manager. In January 2025, USA imposed sanctions on Lagosmarine Limited for its activities in the energy sector of the russian federation and as the technical manager of a crude oil tanker that made several calls to a russian port where the price of oil was constantly exceeding the price cap. After sanctions were imposed on the Cypriot company Lagosmarine Limited, the management of the vessel was changed to Vesta Shipmanagement Ltd (UAE). 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.

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, and resorts to deceptive, high-risk practices (disabling AIS, conducting dark activities near Malaysia, making STS transmissions with russian affiliation). In early January 2023, the tanker IMO 9422988 made an STS transmission in international waters of the South Korean anchorage with the help of the russian tanker IMO 9301407 (under sanctions since January 2025, affiliated with the sanctioned russian company PJSC Sovcomflot), which had previously been loaded at the russian oil terminal De-Kastri. The tanker IMO 9422988 is involved in an established chain of supply of russian crude oil/petroleum products to third countries by making STS transfers in the area near European countries, in particular, with the sanctioned tanker IMO 9247443, which since July 2024 has been operating in the area near Greece, Cyprus 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 January and March 2025, tanker IMO 9422988 conducted STS transmissions with tanker IMO 9247443 near Greece and Cyprus, respectively. There are other STS transfers near Cyprus and Greece in 2025 with other tankers of the russian shadow fleet (IMO 9352195, IMO 9314882, IMO 9263203, IMO 9299862, IMO 9198290, IMO 9424651), which were sanctioned by the EU, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom in May 2025. 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, USA and other countries. In turn, the sale of crude oil/petroleum products on the world market allows the russian state budget to accumulate significant financial resources, 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 involved in the transportation of Iranian oil to Chinese refineries, for which it was sanctioned by USAA in March 2025. 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.