Sea vessels

For four months, the vessel carried out work on the construction project of the export main gas pipeline "North Stream - 2", carried out emergency and rescue activities in the Baltic and Barents seas, took part in towing the floating power unit "Akademik Lomonosov" project 20870 from St. Petersburg to Murmansk. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The vessel is involved in the construction of the export main gas pipeline "North Stream-2". During the final stage of works on the completion of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline (from April 10 to August 30, 2021), servicemen of some special units of the russian Navy were seen in the area of ​​their implementation. A combined special purpose group of 18 people was on board civilian vessels of the Maritime Rescue Service - the tug "Kapitan Beklemishev" and multi-functional emergency rescue vessels "Spasatel Karev" and "Bakhtemir". The members of the joint group were identified as belonging to some special units of the russian Navy: a group of four of the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research of the ministry of defense of the russian federation, or military unit No. 45707 (one of the most classified military units of the russian federation, which plans and carries out special underwater operations, the hydronauts of the unit are engaged in reconnaissance activities, install various equipment on the seabed, and also collect wreckage of vessels, planes and satellites to obtain information about the level of technological developments of possible adversaries, are engaged in planning and preliminary preparation of large-scale sabotage on transatlantic fiber-optic communication lines between Europe and North America); a group of seven people of the 313th Separate Special Forces Combating Submarine Subversive Forces of the Baltic Fleet of the russian Navy; a group of seven people of the 342nd Emergency and Rescue Squad of the Baltic Fleet of the russian Navy. The increased activity of the combined group was observed in the exclusive maritime economic zones of Denmark and Germany in the area of ​​passage of the Baltica (connecting Poland, Sweden, Denmark) and "Denmark — Poland-2" (connecting Poland with the island of Bornholm) underwater OCs, in corridor 2-3 miles from the pipeline. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

he support vessel is one of a number of vessels in the russian Maritime Rescue Service fleet equipped with the Dynpos-2 class dynamic positioning system. The vessel was involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline (it worked as an anchor for the Fortuna pipelayer at the surface laying stage. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The vessel is involved in Gazprom's project to build the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline. The vessel belonged to Gazprom Fleet LLC. Since mid-2020, Gazprom has been changing the owners of the vessels involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2. Thus, since January 2021, the Ostap Sheremeta vessel has been re-registered to the sanctioned russian company JSC Nobility, established in April 2020. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the Ostap Sheremeta for assisting in the construction of Nord Stream 2.

The support vessel is one of a number of vessels in the russian Maritime Rescue Service fleet equipped with the Dynpos-2 class dynamic positioning system. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. The vessel's direct involvement in the Nord Stream 2 project has not been documented. At the same time, the vessel was in the Baltic Sea at the end of March 2021 with its AIS switched off and could have been the vessel that the Murman, involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2, met, making unexplained turns.

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 vessel through related companies, in particular sanctioned 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 multifunctional rescue vessel was involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The multifunctional deepwater vessel was involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline. The vessel has an extensive arsenal of installation and survey equipment and has been involved in complex offshore projects, designed to install subsea equipment, inspection, maintenance, and repair work in deepwater wells, including in Arctic waters. In November 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the Marlin (current name: Lamantin) in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

The vessel is involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline, they monitored the security zone around the Fortuna pipe-laying machine. During the final stage of work on the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline (from 10 April to 30 August 2021), servicemen of certain special units of the russian Navy were spotted in the area. The combined special purpose group of 18 people was alternately on board civilian vessels of the Maritime Rescue Service - the tugboat Kapitan Beklemishev and the multifunctional rescue vessels Spasatel Karev and Bakhtemir. The members of the joint group were identified as belonging to some special units of the russian Navy: a group of four of the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research of the ministry of defense of the russian federation, or military unit No. 45707 (one of the most classified military units of the russian federation, which plans and carries out special underwater operations, the hydronauts of the unit are engaged in reconnaissance activities, install various equipment on the seabed, and also collect wreckage of vessels, planes and satellites to obtain information about the level of technological developments of possible adversaries, are engaged in planning and preliminary preparation of large-scale sabotage on transatlantic fiber-optic communication lines between Europe and North America); a group of seven people of the 313th Separate Special Forces Combating Submarine Subversive Forces of the Baltic Fleet of the russian Navy; a group of seven people of the 342nd Emergency and Rescue Squad of the Baltic Fleet of the russian Navy. The increased activity of the combined group was observed in the exclusive maritime economic zones of Denmark and Germany in the area of ​​passage of the Baltica (connecting Poland, Sweden, Denmark) and "Denmark — Poland-2" (connecting Poland with the island of Bornholm) underwater OCs, in corridor 2-3 miles from the pipeline. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The vessel was involved in Gazprom's project to build the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline. The vessel belonged to Gazprom Fleet LLC. Since mid-2020, Gazprom has been changing the owners of the vessels involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2. Thus, since August 2020, the Ivan Sidorenko vessel has been re-registered to the sanctioned russian company JSC Nobility, established in April 2020. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the Ivan Sidorenko vessel for assisting in the construction of Nord Stream 2.

The 15 MW multi-purpose tug is the most powerful vessel in the russian Maritime Rescue Service fleet and will be used, among other things, in the Arctic waters for emergency rescue duty, towing emergency vessels, responding to emergency oil and oil product spills, and can also act as an anchor handler. Gazprombank Leasing financed the delivery of the Finval vessel worth $6.75 million to the russian Maritime Rescue Service in August 2020. It was used in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The multifunctional engineering vessel is designed to carry out research and inspection work on the continental shelf and in deep water areas of the seas and oceans. The vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system, a heavy worker remotely operated underwater vehicle complex, high-precision underwater navigation and bottom mapping systems. It was used in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 export gas pipeline. In August 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel in connection with its assistance in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.