Marine Vessels

Hong Kong-based Hozdra Group Limited owns and operates the VLCC-class oil tanker IMO 9222443.
Since Hozdra Group Limited acquired ownership of the vessel in 2025, the tanker has delivered approximately 6 million barrels of Iranian crude oil to the PRC, obtained from sanctioned vessels.
On October 9, 2025, the US imposed sanctions on Hozdra Group Limited for its activities in the Iranian oil sector, as well as on the tanker IMO 9222443.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9222443. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying under foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.

The tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. In September 2025, the vessel transported more than 2 million barrels of Iranian crude oil.
Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9294240. On June 11, 2022, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi signed a 20-year cooperation agreement to expand ties in the oil and petrochemical industries, as well as in the military and economic spheres. Since then, bilateral ties have begun to develop. Most cargo is transported by ships belonging to the sanctioned National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) in both directions. A significant number of ships flying foreign (non-Iranian) flags are also involved in this trade.
On October 9, 2025, the US imposed sanctions on the tanker.

The tanker was involved in the transportation of Iranian crude oil/petroleum products, in particular to Syria and China. The vessel is linked to a network smuggling Iranian crude oil, which was financed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. The network was coordinated by Viktor Artemov (under US sanctions since November 2022).
On November 3, 2022, the US imposed sanctions on the tanker.
The vessel is also part of a large-scale shadow oil trading scheme between Venezuela and Cuba.
On December 10, 2025, the US Coast Guard boarded and arrested the tanker IMO 9304667 as it was sailing in international waters after departing from Venezuela. The tanker left the Venezuelan port on December 4, 2025, with 2 million barrels of oil from Venezuela's state oil company, known as PDVSA, on board. The ship's destination was listed as the Cuban port of Matanzas. Two days after departure, tanker IMO 9304667 transferred approximately 50,000 barrels to vessel IMO 9198666, which then headed towards Cuba, while tanker IMO 9304667 headed east towards Asia. It is likely that most of its cargo was intended for sale to the PRC. Most of the 30-member crew of the ship IMO 9304667 were russian citizens.
The seizure of the vessel IMO 9304667 was carried out by the Internal Security Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation after the US Coast Guard boarded the tanker.
On December 12, 2025, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia obtained a warrant for the arrest of the vessel IMO 9304667.

The tanker is involved in the transportation of Venezuelan oil.
In June 2025, the vessel loaded and delivered Venezuelan oil to Asia. The tanker manipulated its AIS to conceal its location and cargo of Venezuelan oil.
On December 11, 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the tanker.

The tanker is involved in the transportation of Venezuelan oil.
In October 2025, the vessel loaded oil in Venezuela. The tanker uses deceptive shipping practices to conceal its location — either by not transmiting its location or by transmitting a false location.
On December 11, 2025, the US imposed sanctions on the tanker.

The tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian oil/oil products.
The vessel is involved in the transportation of sanctioned cargo on behalf of the Lebanon-based company Concepto Screen SAL Off-Shore, which is owned by Hizballah.
On June 10, 2024, the US imposed sanctions on the tanker.
The tanker is involved in the transportation of Venezuelan crude oil/petroleum products. In December 2025, the tanker IMO 9230880, flying the Panamanian flag, attempted to approach the coast of Venezuela despite the US blockade. The US Coast Guard tried to stop the tanker, but the crew (citizens of russia, Ukraine, and India) refused to comply with the Coast Guard's demands and abruptly changed course. The crew painted the flags of the russian federation on the ship's hull, and a few days later, the tanker was renamed from Bella 1 to Marinera and registered in the russian maritime register. From December 15, 2025, the ship spent two weeks trying to evade US Coast Guard control in the Atlantic Ocean. The russian Navy attempted to escort the tanker, including with the participation of a submarine, but on January 7, 2026, US Coast Guard forces in the North Atlantic (south of Iceland) boarded the tanker and took control of it in international waters.

The tanker is affiliated with Aries Global Investment LTD (Hong Kong), which was sanctioned by the US on December 31, 2025, for its activities in Venezuela's oil sector.
On December 31, 2025, the US imposed sanctions on the vessel for transporting Venezuelan oil and assisting the Maduro regime in circumventing sanctions.

The vessel is owned by the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (ООО "МГ-Флот", formerly Transmorflot LLC – ООО "Трансморфлот").
In May 2022, the United States imposed sanctions on Transmorflot LLC (ООО "Трансморфлот") and on its vessels involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation.
MG-Flot LLC is linked to Astrakhan businessman Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich Pashayev (Джамалдін Емірмагомедович Пашаєв), who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This location was promoted 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 corridor’s primary purpose was to facilitate trade with sanctioned Iran, enabling it to import and export goods via the North– South route.

The vessel 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.

The vessel is owned by the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (ООО "МГ-Флот", formerly Transmorflot LLC – ООО "Трансморфлот").
In May 2022, the United States 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 Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich Pashayev, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This location was proposed as a key logistics hub of the international transport corridor "North– South," 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 facilitate trade with sanctioned Iran, enabling it to import and export goods via the "North– South" route.

The vessel is the property of the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (formerly Transmorflot LLC).
In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on Transmorflot LLC and its vessels involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation.
The vessel is also affiliated with LLC PSB Leasing (TIN 7722581759, related to the sanctioned PJSC Promsvyazbank (TIN 7744000912), a systemically important russian state-owned banking institution that finances the russian defense industry, services significant volumes of state defense contracts for the russian ministry of defense, and provides banking services, including mortgage loans, to the russian military.
MG-Flot LLC is associated with the Astrakhan businessman Pashayev Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This very 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 along the North-South route.
As part of the application of sanctions to PJSC Promsvyazbank, in February 2022, USA imposed sanctions on five vessels (including the "Baltic Leader") owned (owned at the time) by PSB Leasing LLC as a subsidiary of PJSC Promsvyazbank.
"Baltic Leader" while owned by PSB Leasing LLC was arrested by French customs for violation of Decision (EU) 2022/260 of February 23, 2022 on restrictive measures against acts undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The russian Embassy in France actively participated in the release of the vessel from arrest.
In 2024, the vessel was first used on the Novorossiysk port ( russia) - Tartus port ( Syria) line, which is the only port in the Mediterranean Sea under russian control. In particular, in February 2024, the vessel made a voyage following the ‘Sparta IV’ (IMO 9743033), which was involved in the transportation of weapons from Syria to Novorossiysk. Also involved in this voyage were the tanker ‘Yaz’ (IMO 9735323) and the roller ship ‘Lady Maria’ (IMO 9220641).
The vessel is likely a member of the so-called russian rescue group sent from the russian naval base in the Baltic in December 2024 to evacuate russian troops and equipment from Syria after the fall of the Assad regime.
On December 31, 2024, the Portuguese Navy observed a group of russian vessels (including military vessels), including a submarine, passing near the country's coast towards the Mediterranean Sea. According to the Armed Forces of Portugal, the russian vessels included the landing ship Alexander Shabalin, civilian logistics support vessels Baltic Leader, Sparta II and the tanker General Skobelev, while the russian submarine Novorossiysk was moving along the country's economic zone. The second group included the russian amphibious warships Ivan Gren, Aleksandr Otrakovsky, and the civilian vessel Sparta, which passed the Strait of Gibraltar on the evening of December 22, 2024, and entered the Mediterranean Sea, and were supposed to arrive at the Syrian port of Tartus on January 05, 2025, but as of the morning of January 07, 2025, the Sparta is sailing off the coast of Syria, probably awaiting permission to enter the port of Tartus from the new Syrian authorities. The tanker General Skobelev and Sparta II are scheduled to call at Tartus on January 08, 2025.
As of the morning of January 07, 2025, the tanker General Skobelev (declared destination Said port (Egypt)), cargo ships Ro-Ro Baltic Leader (IMO 9220639, affiliated with the sanctioned russian company MG-Flot LLC, whose vessels are involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation, including from Iran for use in the war against Ukraine), Sparta II (IMO 9160994, affiliated with the sanctioned russian company Oboronlogistika LLC, which meets the needs of the russian ministry of defense in the transportation, storage and production of military and special purpose goods). According to maritime information databases, the final destination of Ro-Ro cargo ships is not specified.
By 2025, the ship will be sailing between russian ports (Baltiysk, Kaliningrad, Belokamenka, Murmansk) and ports in African countries (Conakry, Algiers, Alexandria).

During the oil embargo and price cap policy on russian crude oil/petroleum products, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil/petroleum products, in particular from russian ports on the Baltic Sea.
The vessel is also involved in the transportation of iranian crude oil/petroleum products.
The tanker is the property of the sanctioned russian maritime shipping company MG-Flot LLC (formerly Transmorflot LLC). In May 2022, USA imposed sanctions on Transmorflot LLC and its vessels involved in the transportation of weapons for the russian federation. The commercial manager of the vessel is a sanctioned russian company, Marine Trans shipping LLC (TIN 3025037914), which also operates the Adler (IMO 9179854), a roll-on/roll-off vessel involved in arms transportation.
The vessel is also affiliated with LLC PSB Leasing (TIN 7722581759, related to the sanctioned PJSC Promsvyazbank (TIN 7744000912), a systemically important state-owned banking institution of the russian federation, which finances the russian defense industry, services significant volumes of state defense contracts of the ministry of defense of the russian federation, and provides banking services to the russian military, in particular mortgage loans.
MG-Flot LLC is associated with the Astrakhan businessman Pashayev Jamaldin Emirmagomedovich, who built his business around the commercial port of Olya in the Astrakhan region. This very 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 trade with sanctioned Iran, which could import and export goods via the North-South route. This can thus explain the provision of Iranian oil trade by a fleet of tankers affiliated with a bank controlled by Pyotr Fradkov.
As part of the application of sanctions against PJSC Promsvyazbank, in February 2022, USA imposed sanctions on five vessels (including the vessel "Linda" (current name "Inda"), which were owned at the time by PSB Leasing LLC as a subsidiary of PJSC Promsvyazbank.
Since September 12, 2025, the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on the vessel.
In November 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel.