Sea vessels

During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports to third countries, and resorts to the practice of turning off the AIS signal, conducting so-called 'dark activities' at sea. The owner, manager and commercial manager of the tanker since March 2024 is an unknown company Bicol Shipping Inc (Mauritius), and the ISM manager is the Indian company Vika Line Marine Services PVT. The fleet of the shipowner and the ship ISM-manager consists only of the tanker 'MARATHON'. The vessel is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The 'MARATHON' 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 the Gatik-related company Plutos Ship Management, 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), Ark Seakonnect Shipmanagment LLC, Zidan Ship Management, was involved in a scheme to 'juggle' vessels managed by Gatik Ship Management to avoid sanctions. Gatik Ship Management and Plutos Ship Management were the previous managers of the tanker 'MARATHON'. 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.

It is involved in the transportation of russian crude oil during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil. The vessel transported russian oil from russian ports to EU countries. The vessel has been repeatedly recorded by the Monitoring Group of the Black Sea Strategic Studies Institute and the BlackSeaNews editorial board as exporting russian crude oil. In particular, the facts of the vessel's participation in the transportation of russian oil were recorded in November 2023 (from the russian port of Kavkaz to the Turkish port of Izmir), December 2023 (from the russian port of Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Marmara-Ereglisi), in June-July 2023 (from the russian port of Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Tuzla). Before UK applied sanctions in December 2023 to the former manager of the vessel, the operator of the "shadow fleet" - Radiating World shipping Services LLC (UAE), the last one, in order to avoid sanctions, transferred its tankers to other newly created companies, including the Dubai company Almuhit Alhadi Marine Services LLC. In June-July 2024, UK and EU imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its involvement in the transportation of russian oil and/or oil products from the russian federation to third countries, as well as for its participation in the circumvention of European restrictions. On October 17, 2024, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel in response to the transportation of oil/oil products originating from russia or exported from russia, using irregular and high-risk shipping practices, as specified in the resolution of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization A.1192(33).

It is affiliated with the russian LNG tanker fleet, which is involved in expanding russia's export capabilities in terms of LNG trade, including from the sanctioned large-capacity Arctic LNG-2 project of sanctioned PJSC Novatek. The vessel is involved in the transshipment of LNG of russian origin (from the Yamal LNG project of PJSC Novatek) through European ports. Arctic LNG-2 is the second large-capacity project after Yamal LNG of PJSC Novatek (TIN: 6316031581) for natural gas production and LNG production on the Gydansky Peninsula. In November 2023 and February 2024, USA and United Kingdom respectively imposed sanctions on the russian Arctic LNG-2 project, which is of strategic importance for the government of the russian federation. On 23 August 2024, USA imposed sanctions on an LNG tanker. On 26 September 2024, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on a vessel involved in the russian LNG sector.

It is involved in the transportation of russian crude oil in violation of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil. The vessel transported russian crude oil of the "Urals" grade from russian ports in the Baltic Sea to EU countries. The vessel was recorded by the Monitoring Group of the "Institute of Black Sea Strategic Studies" and the editors of BlackSeaNews as a violator of the embargo on the import of russian crude oil. In particular, the fact of the vessel's participation in oil transvesselment were recorded in May 2024 near the port of Nador (Morocco) and the Spanish port of Melilla in North Africa. In June 2024, the vessel reloaded russian oil onto another tanker in the Mediterranean Sea in neutral waters near the Moroccan city of Nador. In June-July 2024, UK and EU imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its involvement in the transportation of russian oil and/or petroleum products from the russian federation to third countries. Following the sanctions, the vessel, along with other sanctioned tankers, was anchored approximately 80 miles from the Estonian port of Tallinn. The area is a popular destination for tankers waiting to load cargo at Baltic Sea ports. On October 17, 2024, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel in response to the transportation of oil/oil products originating from russia or exported from russia, using irregular and high-risk shipping practices, as specified in the resolution of the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organization A.1192(33).

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 "Sudak".

The vessel is involved in the supply of fuel to the TOT of Crimea on behalf of the sanctioned JSC Sovfracht (TIN 7702059030), one of the largest independent freight forwarding companies in russia, which acts as a key node in the military transport network of russian cargo vessels delivering North Korean weapons to military facilities, which are subsequently transported to weapons depots on russia's western border for use in the war against Ukraine. The vessel belongs to the fleet of the sanctioned Trans-Flot LLC, one of the largest shipping companies in russia, which carries out cargo transportation on russian inland waterways and international sea routes. The main cargoes transported by the company are crude oil and oil products, edible oils, and liquid chemicals. The company operates in the North-West, Central, Volga, Azov-Don and Kama basins with access to the coastal waters of the Baltic, Black, Azov, Mediterranean and Caspian Seas and northern russian ports. In December 2016, USA imposed sanctions on two vessels of Trans-Flot LLC, including "Stalingrad".

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 "Passat".

The vessel is involved in the supply of fuel to TOT Crimea on behalf of the sanctioned JSC "Sovfracht" (TIN 7702059030) - one of the largest independent transport and forwarding companies of russia, which acts as a key node in the military transport network of russian cargo vessels that deliver North Korean weapons to military facilities objects, which are then transferred to weapons depots on the western border of russia for use in the war against Ukraine. The vessel belongs to the fleet of the sanctioned LLC "Trans-Flot" - one of the largest shipping companies in russia, which carries out cargo transportation on the internal waterways of russia and international sea routes. The main cargoes for transportation by the company are crude oil and oil products, edible oils, liquid chemical cargoes. Geography of activity - territories of the North-Western, Central, Volga, Azov-Don, Kama basins with access to the coastal waters of the Baltic, Black, Azov, Mediterranean, Caspian seas, northern ports of russia. In December 2016, USA imposed sanctions on two vessels of Trans-Flot LLC, including "Marshal Zhukov".

The largest russian pipe-laying and heavy crane vessel designed for the construction of marine underwater pipelines. The vessel laid about 100 km of pipeline on such projects as: the development of the Kirin gas condensate field and the laying of the Sakhalin – Khabarovsk – Vladivostok pipeline. Since December 2020, the vessel has been involved in the completion of the Nord Stream - 2 gas pipeline. In January 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel "Fortuna" and its owner, the russian company "KVT-Rus" LLC, as part of the expansion of sanctions on the "North Stream - 2" export main pipeline.

A multifunctional icebreaker designed to ensure year-round operation of the sea ice-resistant stationary platform "Pryrazlomna", affiliated with the Arctic fleet of "Gazprom Neft". The vessel has been under the operational management of LLC "Gazprom Flot" since 2006. Since mid-2020, Gazprom has been changing the owners of vessels that participated in the construction of "Nord Stream-2", including "Yury Topchev" (current name - "Hermes") . Since August 2020, the owner of "Yury Topchev" has been the sanctioned russian transport and forwarding company Koksokhimtrans LLC, which operates vessels that served as ferry crossings between the temporarily occupied Crimea and the territory of the russian federation, specializes in the organization of regular transportation of goods and passengers, affiliated with the sanctioned GC " Sovfracht-Sovmortrans". In May 2021, the United States applied sanctions to the vessel. Since 31.10.2022, the new owner of the vessel is the russian company JSC "Ardal" (TIN 7841098452), which plans to conduct economic activities along the route: Port of Murmansk - Barents Sea - Strait of Kara Gate - Kara Sea - Gulf of Ob - Section No. 3 of Sabetta Port (Cape area Kamiany), also in the port of Murmansk and Sabetta for loading and unloading activities in sea ports, including in relation to dangerous goods, delivery of goods and personnel, management of ice conditions, preparation of an ice channel, maintenance of drilling platforms within the framework of development of an oil and gas field, ice wiring between ports in part of the Northern Sea Route, ensuring technological and environmental safety of works during the vesselment of oil and carrying out emergency and rescue duty, bunkering with petroleum products, etc.

The MOSS 828 type multi-purpose icebreaker transport vessel, designed to ensure year-round operation of the Pryrazlomna marine ice-resistant stationary platform under conditions of increased ice loads, has Icebreaker6 ice class, equipped with a dynamic positioning system.It was involved in the completion of the russian export main gas pipeline "North Stream-2". Тhe vessel has been under the operational management of LLC "Gazprom Flot" since 2006. Since mid-2020, Gazprom has been changing the owners of vessels that participated in the construction of "Nord Stream-2", including "Vladislav Strizhov" (current name - "Antey") . Since September 2020, the owner of "Vladislav Strizhov" has been the sanctioned russian transport and forwarding company Koksokhimtrans LLC, which operates vessels that served as ferry crossings between the temporarily occupied Crimea and the territory of the russian federation, specializes in the organization of regular transportation of goods and passengers, affiliated with the sanctioned GC " Sovfracht-Sovmortrans". In May 2021, the United States applied sanctions to the vessel. On 24.11.2022, the new owner of the vessel is the russian company JSC "Ardal" (TIN 7841098452), which plans to conduct economic activities along the route: Port of Murmansk - Barents Sea - Strait of Kara Gate - Kara Sea - Gulf of Ob - Section No. 3 of Sabetta Port (Cape area Kamiany), also in the port of Murmansk and Sabetta for loading and unloading activities in sea ports, including in relation to dangerous goods, delivery of goods and personnel, management of the ice situation, preparation of the ice channel, maintenance of drilling platforms in the framework of the development of an oil and gas field, ice wiring between ports in part of the Northern Sea Route, ensuring technological and environmental safety of works during the vesselment of oil and carrying out emergency and rescue duty, bunkering with petroleum products, etc.

The tanker is involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the black and Baltic seas to third countries, as well as to the EU countries in violation of the G7 and EU oil embargo on russian oil. In particular, in December 2023, the vessel transported russian oil from the port of Novorossiysk ( russia) to the EU countries through a transshipment in the Lakonikos Bay. The vessel is certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The tanker 'PAGOS' 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 Galena Ship Management, which is affiliated with Gatik, 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 'PAGOS'. 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.