Marine Vessels

The vessel is involved in the delivery of military equipment and personnel of the russian armed forces to the TOT of Zaporizhzhia region (Ukraine).
On May 26, 2023, the vessel "V.USPENSKIY", which left the Rostov Commercial Sea Port of the russian federation, having passed the waters of the internal waters of the russian federation and the sea of Azov, entered the maritime space of the temporarily occupied Berdiansk Commercial Sea Port of Ukraine, where it unloaded military equipment delivered from the territory of the russian federation to berth No. 10. After that, on May 28, 2023, the military equipment was taken out of the port under the protection of the Pantsyr-C1 anti-aircraft missile and gun system to the permanent deployment points of the russian armed forces in the TOT of Zaporizhzhia region.
The authorized body of Ukraine has served a notice of suspicion of aiding and abetting in the conduct of aggressive war on the Deputy Minister of Transport of the russian federation, Alexander Poshyvay, and the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Administration of the Sea Ports of the Azov Sea" Sergey Safonichev, as well as on the change of the previously announced suspicion to the head of the Federal Agency for Sea and River Transport of the Russian Federation Zakhary Dzhioev. Since September 2022, russian officials have allowed the use of the capacities of the Berdiansk seaport for the transportation of military equipment and personnel of the military formations of the russian federation, organized and provided conditions for the timely transportation by sea of personnel of the armed forces and other armed formations of the russian federation, military equipment, and munitions to the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, thereby providing means and removing obstacles for the top military and political leadership of the russian federation to wage an aggressive war against Ukraine.
The vessel is involved in the theft of grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine (the port of Sevastopol).
The vessel regularly calls at ports in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, in particular in June, July, and October 2025 at the port of Krym, in September 2025 at the port of Kamysh-Burun, and in November 2025 at the port of Kerch.
On November 25, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The vessel is involved in the delivery of military equipment from the russian federation and the territory of the TOT of Zaporizhzhia region (Ukraine), and calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine).
On May 23, 2023, the vessel ІМО 9931226, which left the Caucasian Sea Commercial Port of the russian federation, crossed the Azov Sea and entered the sea space of the temporarily occupied Berdiansk Sea Commercial Port of Ukraine, where it unloaded military equipment delivered from the territory of the russian Federation to berth 10. After that, on May 28, 2023, the military equipment was taken out of the port under the protection of the 'Pantsyr-C1' anti-aircraft missile and gun system to the permanent deployment points of the russian armed forces in the TOT of Zaporizhzhia region.
The authorized body of Ukraine has served a notice of suspicion of aiding and abetting in the conduct of aggressive war on the Deputy Minister of Transport of the russian federation, Alexander Poshyvay, and the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Administration of the Sea Ports of the Azov Sea" Sergey Safonichev, as well as on the change of the previously announced suspicion to the head of the Federal Agency for Sea and River Transport of the russian federation Zakhary Dzhioev. Since September 2022, russian officials have allowed the use of the capacities of the Berdiansk seaport for the transportation of military equipment and personnel of the russian military formations, organized and provided conditions for the timely transportation by sea of personnel of the armed forces and other armed formations of the russian federation, military equipment, weapons to the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, thereby providing means and removing obstacles for the top military and political leadership of the russian federation to wage an aggressive war against Ukraine.

The vessel has been implicated in grain theft schemes involving shipments from the closed port of Sevastopol (TOT of Crimea, Ukraine) with its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal disabled, followed by the export of grain to third countries through ship-to-ship (STS) transshipment operations in the Kerch Strait area and the Port Kavkaz. This method enables russia to conceal the Ukrainian origin of the stolen grain and sell it to third countries as grain of russian origin.
The vessel made its first port call in Iran on 27 August 2024 and is currently operating on routes between Astrakhan (russia) and Amirabad (Iran). The change in the vessel’s operational area is linked to a change of ownership and management in July 2024. The vessel’s previous owner and manager was Falero Shipping Co Ltd (IMO 5925865), an offshore company registered in the Seychelles.

The vessel has been implicated in grain theft schemes involving shipments from the temporarily occupied territory (TOT) of Ukraine by loading grain via ship-to-ship (STS) transfer from the russian vessels IMO 8721272 and IMO 8959219, which had exported grain from the TOT of Crimea, Ukraine. The vessels IMO 8721272 and IMO 8959219 were arrested in absentia by a Ukrainian court in 2022 for violating the procedure for entering the TOT of Ukraine.

The vessel has been implicated in grain theft schemes involving shipments from the closed port of Sevastopol (temporarily occupied territory – TOT of Crimea, Ukraine) to Port Kavkaz (russian federation) for onward sale to third countries. The vessel was seized in absentia by a Ukrainian court in 2022.

The vessel has been implicated in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Crimea, Ukraine. The vessel was spotted twice in June 2022 near a grain terminal owned by Avlita and controlled by the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC). The vessel was twice loaded with more than 4,000 tons of barley, which was delivered to the Port Kavkaz (russia) for transshipment. This scheme of grain theft allows the russian federation to conceal the Ukrainian origin of the stolen grain and sell it to third countries as grain of russian origin.
On November 25, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The vessel is involved in schemes of stealing Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine). In particular, the vessel used the STS method to load grain in the Kerch Strait from the russian vessel IMO 8946377, which had exported stolen Ukrainian grain from the closed port of Sevastopol (TOT Crimea, Ukraine).
In 2023, the vessel regularly resorted to the practice of conducting so-called 'dark' activity in the transshipment area in the Kerch Strait, which has been actively used by russia since 2023 to carry out STS transshipment with other vessels, in particular, to 'legalize' stolen Ukrainian grain, redirecting it to third countries under the guise of grain of russian origin.
On November 25, 2025, Ukraine imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The vessel has been implicated in schemes of stealing Ukrainian grain from the temporarily occupied territories (TOT) of Crimea, Ukraine, in particular, from the closed port of Sevastopol (a grain terminal owned by Avlita ("Авлита") and controlled by the United Shipbuilding Corporation (Объединённая судостроительная корпорация, USC)), and transporting it to Port Kavkaz for transshipment. russia is trying to conceal the origin of Ukrainian grain exported through the ports of the TOT of Crimea, Ukraine, using various methods, including the tactic of overloading cargo in the Kerch Strait and russian ports. In this way, the vessel is involved in a scheme of stealing and "legalization" of Ukrainian grain, redirecting it to third countries under the guise of grain of russian origin.

The vessel is involved in the transportation of Iranian crude oil via STS using vessels affiliated with the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), a subsidiary of the sanctioned National Iranian Oil Company, which is controlled by the Iranian Ministry of Oil. The National Iranian Tanker Company is responsible for the transportation of Iranian crude oil intended for export, and plays a significant role in oil deals that are used to generate profits for the IRGC-QF (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and Hizballah (Hezbollah).
On October 11, 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as property in which the sanctioned company Max Maritime Solutions FZE has an interest.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9304655. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.

The tanker is involved in the transportation of hundreds of metric tons of Iranian oil to China in several shipments on behalf of the sanctioned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and China Concord Petroleum Co Ltd.
The tanker is affiliated with the Chinese company Derecttor Company Limited, which was sanctioned by USA on October 11, 2024 as part of the expansion of restrictions on Iran's oil and petrochemical sectors. Also, on October 11, 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel as a property in which Derecttor Company Limited has an interest.

The international NGO Greenpeace refers to the tanker as part of the shadow fleet of tankers that transport russian oil around the world and threaten the environment.
According to the data of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) , which monitors Iran-related tanker traffic using satellite data, the vessel was involved in the transportation of Iranian oil and has switched to transporting russian oil since October 2024. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more than 100 vessels that previously helped Tehran export Iranian export oil are now helping russia transport russian oil/oil products.
The tanker is affiliated with Delnaz Ship Management Sdn Bhd, which was sanctioned by USA on October 11, 2024 for providing material, sponsorship or financial, material or technological support, or goods or services to support the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) within the framework of expanding restrictions on the oil and petrochemical sector of Iran.
On October 11, 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the tanker as a property in which Delnaz Ship Management Sdn Bhd has an interest.
According to GISIS IMO data as of July 15, 2025, the vessel's registered name is CROSS OCEAN, the flag is unknown. At the same time, the vessel sails under the name BLUEBELL, the flag of Curacao.
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.
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 24, 2026, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
Since March 25, 2026, Canada has imposed sanctions on the vessel.

The vessel is involved in the export of Iranian oil in circumvention of sanctions and the transportation of oil to a significant number of oil refineries in the PRC.
In 2023, the vessel was among the top 10 tankers involved in the transportation of the largest volumes of Iranian oil in circumvention of sanctions.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9240512. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
On October 11, 2024, the US imposed sanctions on the vessel as part of the expansion of sanctions on Iran's oil and petrochemical sectors.