Sea vessels

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 crude oil to third countries from russian ports, including with the AIS system disabled. The owner and commercial manager of the tanker since February 01, 2024 is an unknown company Gessi Maritime Corp (Seychelles), whose fleet consists of only one oil tanker 'MERCURY'. The ISM-manager of the tanker is Maple Maritime Solutions FZE (UAE), which manages another tanker 'THALASSA' (IMO 9319870), affiliated with the Indian Gatik Ship Management company Galena Ship Management. The tanker 'MERCURY' is affiliated with the Indian company Gatik Ship Management, one of the leading operators of the so-called 'shadow fleet', which has become the largest carrier of russian oil under sanctions since the beginning of the full-scale war against Ukraine. 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 designated for transportation of general, bulk cargoes, including grain without bulkheads in holds, bulk cargoes with specific cargo volume not less than 0.85 m³/t, dangerous cargoes, timber and containers of international standard IC and ICC in holds and on hatch covers (project No. 19610). It is owned by the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (previous name Transmorflot LLC). In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on Transmorflot LLC and its vessels involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation. MG-Flot LLC is linked to Astrakhan businessman Pashayev Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This place was proposed as a key logistic hub of the international transport corridor "North-South", the creation and construction of which was supervised and controlled by former russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The key purpose of the transportation corridor was to trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route.

It calls at the ports of the TOT of Crimea (Ukraine) with the AIS signal switched off. The vessel is owned and operated by the sanctioned russian shipping company OJSC "Northern shipping company", which is affiliated with the russian ministry of defence, in particular, it provides services under state defence contracts for the transportation of goods in the interests of the russian ministry of defence. It is one of the largest shipping companies in north-west russia, engaged in shipping worldwide, including along the Northern Sea Route. The company's fleet consists of multipurpose dry bulk carriers that transport all types of cargo, including radioactive and hazardous cargo. It comprises 30 vessels for various purposes: 18 vessels of the transport fleet, 7 of the dredging fleet and 5 of the auxiliary fleet. The company carries out sea liner, tram, multimodal transport, cargo delivery to unequipped shores, towing of various objects, technical management (repair, supply, shipping and warehousing services), provides crew training, corrects nautical charts, and provides mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels with inland waterway charts. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on 27 vessels of the russian OJSC Northern shipping company, including the "Viktor Zabelin", and the company itself due to their involvement in the military logistics sector of the russian federation, transporting tanks and other military equipment for the russian armed forces.

It makes entries to the ports of the TOT of Ukraine. The vessel is owned and operated by the sanctioned russian shipping company OJSC "Northern shipping company", which is affiliated with the russian ministry of defence, in particular, it provides services under state defence contracts for the transportation of goods in the interests of the russian ministry of defence. It is one of the largest shipping companies in north-west russia, engaged in shipping worldwide, including along the Northern Sea Route. The company's fleet consists of multipurpose dry bulk carriers that transport all types of cargo, including radioactive and hazardous cargo. It comprises 30 vessels for various purposes: 18 vessels of the transport fleet, 7 of the dredging fleet and 5 of the auxiliary fleet. The company carries out sea liner, tram, multimodal transport, cargo delivery to unequipped shores, towing of various objects, technical management (repair, supply, shipping and warehousing services), provides crew training, corrects nautical charts, and provides mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels with inland waterway charts. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on the russian OJSC Northern shipping company and 27 of its vessels, including the Kapitan Kokovin, due to the fact that the company's vessels are involved in the military logistics sector of the russian federation, transporting tanks and other military equipment for the russian armed forces. Despite the sanctions, the Turkish company Denkar vessel Construction Incorporated Company provided repair services to the russian OJSC Northern shipping company for three sanctioned vessels - "Inzhener Trubin", "Inzhener Veshnyakov" та "Kapitan Kokovin". In September 2023, the Turkish company was subject to US sanctions restrictions for such actions.

The vessel belongs to the fleet of the russian sanctioned shipping company Transpetrochart LLC, engaged in providing material support to the sanctioned company JSC Sovfracht - one of the largest independent transport and forwarding companies in russia, which is a key node in the military transport network of russian cargo vessels delivering North Korean weapons to military facilities, which are then transported to weapons warehouses on the western border of russia for use in the war against Ukraine. Vessels of Transpetrochart LLC are involved in the supply of aviation fuel for russian troops in Syria after sanctions were imposed on JSC Sovfracht in September 2016. In September 2019, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel "OT-2077" (current name "Nord").

The vessel is owned by a sanctioned russian transport company, TK Northern 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 over the transportation of weapons to russia by the company's vessels, and sanctions were also imposed on 15 of the company's vessels, including the "Tiksy".

The vessel transports bulky, bulk, containerised and heavy cargo, sails along the Northern Sea Route and regularly delivers cargo from St Petersburg to Kaliningrad. The vessel is owned and managed by the sanctioned russian shipping company OJSC "Northern shipping company", which is affiliated with the russian ministry of defence and provides services under state defence contracts for the transportation of goods for the benefit of the ministry of defence. It is one of the largest shipping companies in north-west russia, engaged in shipping worldwide, including along the Northern Sea Route. The company's fleet consists of multipurpose dry bulk carriers that transport all types of cargo, including radioactive and hazardous cargo. It comprises 30 vessels for various purposes: 18 vessels of the transport fleet, 7 of the dredging fleet and 5 of the auxiliary fleet. The company carries out sea liner, tram, multimodal transport, cargo delivery to unequipped shores, towing of various objects, technical management (repair, supply, shipping and warehousing services), provides crew training, corrects nautical charts, and provides mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels with inland waterway charts. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on 27 vessels of the russian Northern shipping company, including the "SMP Arkhangelsk", and the company itself due to their involvement in the military logistics sector of the russian federation, transporting tanks and other military equipment for the russian armed forces.

The vessel is owned by the russian sanctioned shipping company Marin Trans shipping LLC, it is operated by the russian sanctioned company MG-Flot LLC, which is linked to the Astrakhan businessman Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich Pashayev, who built his business around the Olya trade port in Astrakhan region. This particular location was proposed as a key logistics hub for the North-South international transport corridor, the creation and construction of which was overseen and controlled by former russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The key purpose of the transport corridor was to trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route. Marin Trans shipping LLC and MG-Fleet LLC manage and operate a fleet involved in the transportation of North Korean weapons (ammunition) for use in the war against Ukraine ("Angara" (IMO 9179842), others), a fleet of tankers involved in the transportation of Iranian oil ("Inda" (IMO 9256858), others). In May 2022, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel as the property of Marin Trans shipping LLC, which is involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation.

The vessel is owned by the sanctioned russian shipping company Dalir LLC, which is based in Astrakhan, operates in the Caspian Sea, and transports military cargo for delivery to the Iranian military on behalf of the sanctioned russian company Rosoboronexport JSC, the only russian state intermediary agency for the export and import of the entire range of military, defence and dual-use products, technologies and services. In February 2024, USA imposed sanctions on the vessel.

It freely sails through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, which are used by russia to transport cargo, including military supplies. The vessel is owned and managed by the sanctioned russian shipping company OJSC "Northern shipping company", which is affiliated with the russian ministry of defence, in particular, it provides services under state defence contracts for the transportation of goods in the interests of the russian ministry of defence. It is one of the largest shipping companies in north-west russia, engaged in shipping worldwide, including along the Northern Sea Route. The company's fleet consists of multipurpose dry bulk carriers that transport all types of cargo, including radioactive and hazardous cargo. It comprises 30 vessels for various purposes: 18 vessels of the transport fleet, 7 of the dredging fleet and 5 of the auxiliary fleet. The company carries out sea liner, tram, multimodal transport, cargo delivery to unequipped shores, towing of various objects, technical management (repair, supply, shipping and warehousing services), provides crew training, corrects nautical charts, and provides mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels with inland waterway charts. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on 27 vessels of the russian Northern shipping company, including the "Mikhail Lomonosov", and the company itself due to their involvement in the military logistics sector of the russian federation, transporting tanks and other military equipment for the russian armed forces.

The vessel is owned by a sanctioned russian transport company, TK Northern 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 for the transportation of weapons to russia by the company's vessels, and sanctions were also imposed on 15 of the company's vessels, including the "Sabetta".

The company transports bulky, bulk, containerised and heavy cargo, and since October 2022 has been delivering cargo to Kaliningrad, the transit of which has been banned by Lithuania. It makes calls to the ports of the TOT of Ukraine (Feodosia, Kamysh-Burun, the port of Crimea, Sevastopol) and is involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain. The vessel is owned and managed by the sanctioned russian shipping company OJSC "Northern shipping company", which is affiliated with the russian ministry of defence, in particular, it provides services under state defence contracts for the transportation of goods in the interests of the russian ministry of defence. It is one of the largest shipping companies in north-west russia, engaged in shipping worldwide, including along the Northern Sea Route. The company's fleet consists of versatile dry bulk carriers that transport all types of cargo, including radioactive and dangerous goods. It comprises 30 vessels for various purposes: 18 vessels of the transport fleet, 7 of the dredging fleet and 5 of the auxiliary fleet. The company carries out sea liner, tram, multimodal transport, cargo delivery to unequipped shores, towing of various objects, technical management (repair, supply, shipping and warehousing services), provides crew training, corrects nautical charts, and provides mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels with inland waterway charts. In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on 27 vessels of the russian OJSC Northern shipping company, including the "SMP Severodvinsk", and the company itself due to their involvement in the military logistics sector of the russian federation, transporting tanks and other military equipment for the russian armed forces.