Sea vessels

During the period of the G7 embargo and price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil from the russian ports of Ust-Luga, Primorsk in the Baltic Sea, Novorossiysk, Taman, and Zaliznyi Rih in the Black Sea, Kozmino in the Pacific region, mainly to Turkey, China, and India, and resorts to the practice of turning off the AIS signal and conducting so-called 'dark activities' at sea, including in the Kerch Strait area in the Black Sea. The vessel is certified by Lloyd's Register (IACS). The tanker is affiliated with Chemul Ships Management Co LTD (the company's address in the Equasis database is listed in the World Trade Tower in Shandong, China). Chemul Ships Management Co LTD operates another tanker, 'Spirit Of Casper' (IMO 9224271), which has been found to be involved in shadow trading activities, using deceptive shipping practices described in US government guidelines, which were often used during Iranian shipments off the coasts of Oman and the UAE to avoid detection of cargoes being loaded through ship-to-ship transfers in international waters. The owner and commercial manager of the vessel is Symi Shipping LTD, whose address in the Equasis database is 80 Broad Street, Monrovia, Liberia. This address in Liberia is common to other companies affiliated with shadowy oil tankers. russia's 'shadow fleet' continues to generate multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners, and poses significant environmental safety threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers.

It is involved in the supply of jet fuel and other important cargo to the Middle East (to the group of Russian troops in Syria in the interests of the russian Ministry of Defence), and calls at the ports of the TOT of Ukraine (in particular, the port of Crimea). In 2024, three tankers ‘Azov’ (IMO 8943260), ‘Koysug’ (IMO 8883252), and ‘Nizami Ganjavi’ (IMO 9369617) were added to the list of vessels used by the russian federation to make covert deliveries to Syria in the interests of the russian ministry of defence. During 2024, the vessels were repeatedly used by the russian federation to carry out maritime transportation from the black sea ports of the russian federation to Syria under the traditional scheme of concealing entries/exits to/from ports in Syria by switching off their transponders in the Mediterranean north or south of Cyprus. Aviation fuel and diesel were supplied to Syria from russian ports (Azov port), petrol - from Iran. Such steps were taken by Russia after the successful attacks in 2023 by the Ukrainian Defence Forces against the russian tanker ‘Sig’ in the Black Sea, which was carrying out sea transport to Syria to supply jet fuel to the russian troops in Syria.

The vessel is involved in schemes to steal grain from the TOT of Ukraine (Sevastopol) by so-called spoofing AIS signal recorded from the runway of the Simferopol airport in violation of the shipping rules, concealing the true identification data of the vessel while passing through the Bosphorus Strait (masking the IMO number and part of the vessel's name). Since February 2024, the vessel has made a number of routes and transported more than 78 million tonnes of wheat from the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol to the Syrian ports of Tartus and Latakia. The sender of the grain is the russian company Pallada LLC (TIN: 6161095847), which was founded on 03 February 2022 and specialises in wholesale grain trading, while in Syria the grain is received by the Syrian General Organisation for Trading, Storage and Processing of Grain, a state-owned company.

The tanker is designed to operate at Yamal LNG, the first large-capacity project of NOVATEK's subsidiary, ensuring year-round export of gas condensate via the Northern Sea Route from the Sabetta LNG terminal to Europe and Asia. Stable gas condensate (SGC) serves as a feedstock for the production of gasoline, gasoil, jet fuel and diesel fuel. The leading russian players in the stable gas condensate market are GAZPROM, IRKUTSK OIL COMPANY, NOVATEK, RUSNEFT, YAMAL LNG and YATEK. The volume of stable gas condensate exports in 2023 amounted to 4526.6 thousand tons. The largest share of exports in 2023 was taken by: “GAZPROM, NOVATEK and YAMAL LNG. In 2024, Yamal LNG LLC was the exporter of gas condensate to the EU market. According to export operations, in 2024, the company supplied more than $234 million worth of gas condensate to the EU. The growth in gas condensate exports from russia to the EU is due, in particular, to the absence of sanctions restrictions on russian gas condensate. The application of restrictions to russian gas condensate and/or vessels involved in its transportation will force russia to look for new markets/storage facilities, which will disrupt its technological processes and lead to additional costs for russia.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian crude oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil to third countries from russian ports, including with the AIS signal turned off. The tanker is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The vessel through related companies, in particular Stream Ship Management FZCO, sanctioned Oil Tankers SCF MGMT FZCO, Sun Ship Management, SCF Management Services LTD, is 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 sanctions restrictions on russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The services provided by Sovcomflot are a significant source of income for russia, as more than 70% of russia's revenues come from energy sales, 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 related 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 gas under western sanctions. As sanctions are being imposed, russia uses a scheme of 'juggling' ships between related companies to conceal oil exports outside price-cap and other restrictions, as well as to hide the real owners of ships, and to ensure unimpeded transportation of fossil fuels by a 'shadow' fleet of obsolete oil tankers, creates new companies for these purposes (in the UAE, Hong Kong, India, Turkey, Mauritius, Seychelles, and other jurisdictions) with non-transparent organizational and ownership structures. In order to implement this scheme, technical/commercial management and ship owners are constantly changing, and vessels are renamed with a change of flag, MMSI, call-sign, including for sanctioned vessels. Shadow fleet vessels operate under 'convenient flags', which allows them to conceal their true origin and avoid control by international organizations and insurance companies. Almost all vessels involved in the transportation of russian oil by the 'shadow fleet' since 2022 have been certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The certification of 'shadow fleet' vessels allows the shipowner/operator to insure the vessels, which, in turn, allows the vessels to enter ports and pass through various specific sea routes (straits, canals, etc.). According to CREA, from January to August 2024, the number of 'shadow' tankers crossing the Danish Straits in Europe increased by 277% compared to the same period in 2022, with 64% of the 46 million tons of russian marine oil transported through the Danish Straits being transported by 'shadow tankers'. In the same period, the number of shadow tankers in the Straits of Dover and Gibraltar increased by 355% compared to 2022, transporting 67% of the 37 million tons of oil through the straits. The Suez Canal experienced a staggering 649% increase in shadow tanker traffic, with 69% of the 52 million tons of russian crude oil passing through it being transported by these vessels. Thus, the 'shadow fleet' of the russian federation continues to provide multibillion-dollar revenues for the kremlin bypassing sanctions, disguising its activities under the flags of third countries, using complex schemes to conceal owners.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine) and its export to third countries, including Bangladesh. On 23 April 2024, the vessel switched off its AIS off the Turkish coast, and entered the temporarily occupied Sevastopol on 25 April 2024, where it was moored at berth 20. On 29 April 2024, the vessel was moved to berth 21 for loading at the Avlita grain terminal (listed in russian registers as Aval). ‘Sofia' left the port of Sevastopol loaded with wheat on 02 May 2024, according to the documents, the grain was registered for delivery to Bangladesh, the port of destination was indicated as Caucasus in the schedule of movement through the closed port of Sevastopol, the ship's captain was Sergey Ryzhov. The vessel also made three calls to the closed port of Sevastopol in July 2024 with the AIS switched off, loading and exporting more than 18,000 tonnes of barley from the TOT of Crimea.

It was involved in the export of grain from the port of Sevastopol (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) to Venezuela with the AIS disabled. Since 20 May 2024, the vessel has been in the anchorage area of the port of Puerto Cabello with AIS enabled, but was probably not allowed to dock at the port due to the vessel's inclusion in the 14th EU sanctions package. The vessel is owned by a sanctioned russian transport company, TK Nord Project LLC, which specialises in sea freight transport via the Northern Sea Route, provides year-round cargo delivery to the ports of the Far North and the Arctic coast, ensures cargo flow to Europe and Asia, and owns an unlimited dry cargo fleet of 7-12,000 dwt. tonnes, transports general, groupage, mixed and non-standard cargo, special machinery, equipment, containerised cargo, and is licensed to transport dangerous goods of all categories. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on TK Northern Project LLC and its 15 vessels, including the "Enisey", for transporting weapons to russia by the company's vessels. In June 2024, EU imposed sanctions on the "Enisey" vessel for stealing Ukrainian grain. On October 17, 2024, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with promoting, supporting actions or policies that undermine or threaten the economic existence or food security of Ukraine (such as the transportation of stolen Ukrainian grain), or the preservation of Ukraine's cultural heritage (such as the transportation of stolen Ukrainian cultural property).

The vessel is involved in numerous cases of export of Ukrainian grain from the temporarily occupied port of Mariupol (TOT of Ukraine). The vessel was captured on russian propaganda videos from the temporarily occupied port of Mariupol during the process of loading grain onto several russian vessels ‘STK-1003’ (IMO 8326058), ‘STK-1016’ (IMO 8521880), ‘Mezhdurechensk’ (IMO 8948167). The vessel is owned by the russian company Remote Marine Terminal LLC (TIN: 7810707496). Several companies loaded grain onto the russian vessels: - Santrade LLC (formerly Sanagro LLC, TIN: 6168119060, Rostov-on- Don), which specialises in the wholesale of grain, unprocessed tobacco, seeds and feed for farm animals. In 2023, the company loaded Ukrainian wheat on all three vessels. The founder of Santrade LLC, Mishchuk M.Y., is the founder of three other companies registered in the TOT of Donetsk region and trading in agricultural crops (mainly grain), namely: AF Agroservice LLC (TIN: 9306001978), Aleksandrovskoye LLC (TIN: 9312009862) and Donagroalliance LLC (TIN: 9309020224), as well as a metallurgical enterprise - Donetsk Foundry LLC (TIN: 9308024353); - Zorka Food LLC (TIN: 9721152398, Moscow), which specialises in the wholesale trade of food, grain, etc; - Asta Group LLC (TIN: 9303017257, TOT of Donetsk), specialising in the wholesale of grain, unprocessed tobacco, seeds and feed for farm animals. The founder of Asta Group LLC, Asatryan R. N., owns Farm Agro-Soyuz LLC (TIN: 9500011198, TOT of Kherson region), which specialises in growing cereals (except rice), legumes, and oilseeds; Complex Supply Don LLC (TIN: 6166085722, Rostov-on-Don), which specialises in the production of vehicle bodies and non-specialised trade.

The tanker is involved in the transportation of russian LNG to third countries, including with the AIS system disabled. On September 4, 2024, the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route" issued a permit for the Ice2 ice-class vessel 'VELIKIY NOVGOROD' to sail in the waters of the Northern Sea Route on the route "Western/Eastern border of the Northern Sea Route - Port of Sabetta - Eastern/Western border of the Northern Sea Route" based on the application of Alexandria Seaways Ltd dated September 4, 2024. On October 17, 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the tanker 'VELIKIY NOVGOROD'.

The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Ukraine (Berdiansk, port Crimea, Kamysh-Burun). The vessel was spotted on 07 February 2024 together with two other unidentified vessels at the berths. The vessel is likely to be involved in the export of stolen Ukrainian grain or scrap metal from the TOT of Ukraine, which clogs one of the port's berths. The vessel was also recorded in this port in June-July 2023.

Since the beginning of 2022, it has been involved in the systematic theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Ukraine (Sevastopol) and its export to Iran and Syria with the AIS signal switched off, using a scheme to conceal the fact of the vessel's entry into a closed Crimean port in violation of the state borders of Ukraine. The sender of the grain is the russian company Pallada LLC (TIN: 6161095847), founded on 03 February 2022 and specialising in the wholesale trade of grain, which is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Crimea by other vessels, including ‘Grumant’ (IMO 9385879), ‘Mikhail Nenashev’ (IMO 9515539), ‘Matros Pozynich’ (IMO 9573816), etc.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the ports of the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine) with AIS disabled. In particular, in the period 22-23 March, 02-05 April 2024, the vessel was in the port of Sevastopol with AIS switched off. On 23 March 2024, the vessel departed the port of Sevastopol loaded with wheat, indicating its destination as the port of Kavkaz (russia). On 05 April 2024, the vessel departed Sevastopol with wheat on board. Since 2022, the vessel has been involved in the Bronka-Kaliningrad ferry service (connection between Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions.