Sea vessels

Since the spring of 2022, it has been involved in the systematic theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Ukraine (Sevastopol) and its export to third countries (in particular, Syria) with the AIS signal switched off, using a scheme to conceal the fact that the ship entered a closed Crimean port in violation of the state borders of Ukraine. The bulk carrier was repeatedly spotted near the grain terminals of the ports of Sevastopol and Feodosia. Ukraine has served a notice of suspicion to the ship's master, who, in violation of Ukrainian legislation and international maritime law, made illegal calls/exits to/from the closed Sevastopol Commercial Sea Port. The Ukrainian court also arrested the Matros Pozynich in absentia. The sender of the grain is the russian company Pallada LLC (TIN: 6161095847), founded on 03 February 2022, which specialises in the wholesale trade of grain and is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Crimea by other vessels, including ‘Grumant’ (IMO 9385879), ‘Mikhail Nenashev’ (IMO 9515539), etc. The vessel is affiliated with the sanctioned russian state-owned shipbuilding holding United Shipbuilding Corporation (TIN: 7838395215) through JSC Southern Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Centre (TIN: 3023004670, under Ukrainian sanctions), which is the founder of the company that owns the vessel ‘Matros Pozynich’.

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.

Violating the state borders of Ukraine, the vessel repeatedly entered Ukrainian ports on the TOT of Ukraine (Sevastopol, Feodosia) and transported stolen Ukrainian grain. anchorage until 03.08.2023, after which it indicated in AIS the port of destination as the russian Caucasus and headed to the Black Sea. On August 11, 2023, the vessel arrived at Tortuga, an uncontrolled parking lot in the neutral waters of the Black Sea. On August 23, 2023, the vessel turned off AIS and headed for the Crimean coast near occupied Sevastopol. On August 25, 2023, the vessel entered the Sevastopol Bay, moored near the grain terminal of the stevedoring company "Avlita" in Dokov Bay. On August 28, 2023, the vessel left occupied Sevastopol after loading at the Avlita grain terminal. On 31.08.2023, the vessel turned on AIS again, indicating the port of destination Alexandria (Egypt) and changed the status to "loaded". On 09.09.2023, the vessel was waiting at the destination of the port "Alexandria" (Egypt) at parking lot No. А14. In addition, the vessel made a visit to occupied Feodosia in order to load a large batch of sunflower seeds exported from the TOT of the Zaporizhzhia region. The vessel arrived in the Black Sea on October 28, 2023, from the Turkish port of Gulliuk, loaded with feldspar. The vessel went to the port "Novorossiysk" where it unloaded the cargo. After leaving Novorossiysk, the vessel directed its course to Feodosia, where it arrived on 03.12.2023. The vessel was in Feodosia until December 29, 2023. The vessel left the port of Feodosia on 28-29/12/2023, indicating the port of destination Bandirma (Turkey). In 2024, the vessel makes regular calls to the Kerch Strait area, a region of raid grain transshipment. In 2015, USA imposed sanctions on three vessels of the Syrian state company Syrian General Organization for Maritime Transport, including the Laodicea (currently known as San Cosmas).

During the G7 and EU oil embargo and price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil to third countries from russian ports, including with the AIS system turned off. The vessel 'IONIA' is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The owner, manager, and commercial manager of the tanker since March 2024 is an unknown company Narus Maritime Corp (Seychelles), which fleet consists of only the tanker 'IONIA'. The ISM manager of the vessel since August 2024 is Oceanix Management FZE (UAE), which fleet consists of this vessel and the tanker 'VARUNA' (IMO 9332810), which was sanctioned by the United Kingdom on October 17, 2024 as part of the application of restrictions on the 'shadow fleet' involved in the transportation of russian oil/oil products from russia to third countries. The tanker 'IONIA' is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil under Western sanctions, and the company Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC, which is related to Gatik, which in 2023, together with Caishan Ship Management, Galena Ship Management, Gaurik Ship Management LLP, Geras Ship Management, Girik Ship Management, Orion Ship Management LLP, Nautilus Shipping (India), Plutos Ship Management, Zidan Ship Management, was involved in a scheme to 'juggle' vessels managed by Gatik Ship Management to avoid sanctions. Gatik Ship Management and Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC were the previous managers of the 'IONIA'. Tankers operated/managed by India's Gatik Ship Management continue to be used by related companies and call at russian ports. As sanctions are being imposed, russia uses a scheme of "juggling" ships between related companies to conceal oil exports outside the 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 that are 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.). The 'shadow' fleet, transporting huge volumes of crude oil through heavily trafficked routes through narrow straits close to the coastline, without proper P&I insurance, with automatic identification systems disabled, threatens an environmental disaster with significant economic costs to be borne by the affected coastal countries and/or the international community. The recent incidents off Malaysia only underscore the need for swift action to curb the potentially devastating impact of the growing 'shadow fleet'. 'Shadow' tankers have already been involved in 50 incidents from the Danish Straits all the way to Malaysia since russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 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, and poses significant threats to environmental safety with significant economic costs for coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the port of Sevastopol (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) with AIS disabled. In particular, the vessel was at the berth of Dokova Bay on 13 March 2024 loading grain, and between 31 March and 04 April 2024 with AIS switched off. On 04 April, the vessel left the port of Sevastopol loaded with grain (barley) and headed for a transshipment area in the Kerch Strait.

It was involved in numerous cases of exporting Ukrainian grain from the port of Feodosia (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) and the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia region to the Turkish port of Samsun with the AIS signal turned off, following the traditional scheme of concealing calls to Ukrainian ports in the TOT of Ukraine. The vessel was repeatedly recorded by the Monitoring Group of the Black Sea Strategic Studies Institute and the BlackSeaNews editorial board as having entered the ports of the TOT of Crimea in violation of Ukrainian legislation and international sanctions. The russian companies Agrogroup LLC (TIN 4712030355), Vidan LLC (TIN 7715588288), Turkish companies Trans World Agro Tarim İhracat İthalat Li̇mi̇ted Şi̇rketi̇, and Vtc Tarim Urunleri Gida San Ve Tic LTD STI (tax number 9250466444) are involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain by the ship. During 2022-2023, Vtc Tarim Urunleri Gida San Ve Tic LTD STI imported sunflower oil from russia through temporarily occupied Feodosia, where the sender was the russian sanctioned State Unitary Enterprise State Grain Operator (TIN 9001011019). The latter is engaged in the export of agricultural products from the temporarily occupied Melitopol.

The vessel is involved in schemes to transship russian oil products in the Black and Azov Seas by bunkering other vessels. In particular, the vessel bunkered ships: ‘Alfa M’ (IMO 9419084), involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Crimea, schemes for the delivery of ilmenite from the port of Constanta (Romania) to the TOT of Crimea through unloading it in Turkey, 'Am Calypso' (IMO 9715270, formerly “Zaid"), involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the ports of the TOT of Crimea and its export to Iran and Syria, etc. The vessel also bunkered the tanker ‘New Trust’ (IMO 9274812), affiliated with the Greek company New Shipping Ltd-LIB. The tanker makes frequent calls to the ports of the TOT of Crimea (Port of Krym).

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil to third countries from russian ports, in particular in the Black Sea, including with the AIS turned off. The tanker is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil under Western sanctions, and Gatik's related companies, including Plutos Ship Management, Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC. Gatik Ship Management, Plutos Ship Management, Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC were the previous managers of the tanker. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the Indian company Gatik Ship Management has become the largest carrier of russian oil and was used to operate the russian 'shadow' fleet under sanctions. The constant change of ship owners and managers to avoid sanctions and conceal the true beneficiaries of the ships is typical for the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the russian oil and oil products trade. On October 17, 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on tankers of the russian so-called "shadow" fleet, including the tanker 'SAI BABA', in connection with the transportation of russian oil and/or oil products from the russian federation to third countries.

The vessel is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain from the port of Sevastopol (TOT Crimea, Ukraine) with AIS disabled. In particular, the vessel was in Sevastopol between 15 and 22 March 2024, and in Komyshov Bay between 31 March and 04 April 2024 with AIS switched off. On 04 April, the vessel left the port of Sevastopol loaded with sunflower meal and bran. Since 2022, the vessel has been involved in the Bronka-Kaliningrad ferry service (a connection between the Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil to third countries from russian ports, in particular in the Baltic and Black Seas, including with the AIS turned off. The tanker is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil under Western sanctions, and Gatik's related companies, including Plutos Ship Management, Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC. Gatik Ship Management, Plutos Ship Management, Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC were the previous managers of the tanker. Since the beginning of russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the Indian company Gatik Ship Management has become the largest carrier of russian oil and was used to operate the russian 'shadow' fleet under sanctions. The constant change of ship owners and managers to avoid sanctions and conceal the true beneficiaries of the ships is typical for the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the russian oil and oil products trade. On October 17, 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on tankers of the russian so-called "shadow" fleet, including the tanker 'ARTEMIS', in connection with the transportation of russian oil and/or oil products from the russian federation to third countries.

The vessel calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea, delivering products, including salt, from the port of Ereğli (Turkey). Thus, while in the Turkish port from 29 March to 03 April 2024, the vessel loaded about 2,000 tonnes of salt in big bags and, after leaving the port on 03 April 2024, switched off AIS and headed for the coast of the TOT of Crimea. The vessel arrived in Komyshovaya Bay on 05 April 2024 and was moored at berth 215. According to the schedule of vessels' deployment and movement in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol, on 09 April 2024, the vessel sailed back to the port of Ereğli without cargo. On 10 April 2024, the AIS signal was restored off the coast of Turkey. The vessel docked at the same anchorage in the port of Ereğli where it was loaded with the salt cargo. On 15 April 2024, the vessel is likely to have once again headed to the port of Sevastopol with a new batch of salt.

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker was involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports to third countries, resorting to the practice of turning off the AIS signal, conducting so-called 'dark activities' at sea. The vessel is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The tanker 'WISDOMS DAUGHTER' is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called 'shadow' fleet involved in the transportation of russian crude oil under Western sanctions, and the Gatik-related company Galena Ship Management, which in 2023, together with Caishan Ship Management, Gaurik Ship Management LLP, Plutos Ship Management, Geras Ship Management, Girik Ship Management, Orion Ship Management LLP, Nautilus Shipping (India), Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagement LLC, Zidan Ship Management, was involved in a scheme to 'juggle' vessels operated by Gatik Ship Management to avoid sanctions. Gatik Ship Management and Galena Ship Management were the previous managers of the tanker 'WISDOMS DAUGHTER'. Tankers operated/managed by India's Gatik Ship Management continue to be used by related companies and call at russian ports. As sanctions are being imposed, russia uses a scheme of "juggling" ships between related companies to conceal oil exports outside the 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 that are 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.). The 'shadow' fleet, transporting huge volumes of crude oil through heavily trafficked routes through narrow straits close to the coastline, without proper P&I insurance, with automatic identification systems disabled, threatens an environmental disaster with significant economic costs to be borne by the affected coastal countries and/or the international community. The recent incidents off Malaysia only underscore the need for swift action to curb the potentially devastating impact of the growing 'shadow fleet'. 'Shadow' tankers have already been involved in 50 incidents from the Danish Straits all the way to Malaysia since russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 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, and poses significant threats to environmental safety with significant economic costs for coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers.