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| Type | Vessel | [sources] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | M SOPHIA · M Sophia | [sources] | |||
| Country | Russia | [sources] | |||
| Build Date | [sources] | ||||
| Call Sign | 3FTT | [sources] | |||
| Deadweight Tonnage | 320051 | [sources] | |||
| Description | The VLCC tanker is involved in the transportation of Iranian, Venezuelan, and russian crude oil. In particular, the vessel is involved in STS transshipments from tankers carrying sanctioned Iranian or Venezuelan crude oil at anchorages near Malaysia and China. The tanker was purchased from DHT Tankers and is affiliated with an anonymous Chinese buyer who spent approximately $376 million to acquire a group of 13 tankers for high-risk transportation of russian crude oil in the Atlantic Ocean. Among these 13 tankers are seven VLCC vessels, five Aframax vessels, and one Suezmax vessel. The vessels were purchased by an anonymous buyer through 20 separate but interrelated one-ship shell companies from Hong Kong and China. Subsequently, all but one of the tankers were involved in transshipment of wet cargoes in international waters, in areas 860 nautical miles west of Portugal. The registered owners, commercial managers, and technical managers of this group of tankers have almost identical registration addresses in Dalian (PRC) and two identical addresses in Hong Kong. This group of tankers is considered a hub for the transshipment of russian crude oil to the PRC in the mid-Atlantic. Logistical STS hubs allow to hide the ownership and origin of cargo. The tanker, considered to be part of the shadow fleet, is affiliated with SUNNE CO LIMITED, which was sanctioned by the US on January 10, 2025, for its activities in the russian energy sector. On January 10, 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the vessel as property in which SUNNE CO LIMITED has an interest. Since September 12, 2025, the United Kingdom has imposed sanctions as part of restrictions on the russian shadow fleet. In November 2025, Canada imposed sanctions on the vessel. On January 7, 2026, the US military (US Southern Command) intercepted and detained tanker IMO 9289477 in international waters in the Caribbean Sea. At the time of detention, the tanker was fully loaded with approximately 1.8-2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil of the Merey grade. At the time of detention, the tanker was also listed as "stateless" due to its sanctioned status. As of January 10, 2026, the vessel was heading for the US coast under the escort of the US Coast Guard. | [sources] | |||
| Flag | Panama | [sources] | |||
| Gross Registered Tonnage | 161789 | [sources] | |||
| IMO Number | IMO9289477 | [sources] | |||
| MMSI | 374933000 | [sources] | |||
| Past Flags | Germany · Hong Kong SAR · Panama | [sources] | |||
| Previous name | DHT Condor · Delos · Younara Glory | [sources] | |||
| Registration number | P151PMFTL9N3 | [sources] | |||
| Type | Crude Oil Tanker · Oil Tanker · Oil Tanker | Navire-citerne pour produits pétroliers | [sources] | |||
| Source link | sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov · war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua | [sources] | |||
| Last change | Last processed | First seen | |||
Shipping sanctions: a specified ship is prohibited from being provided with access to or having its master or pilot cause it to enter a port in the UK, may have its registration on the UK Ship Register terminated, and a master or pilot of a specified ship may be given a port barring direction, a detention direction, and a port entry direction or a movement direction.
Iran's 'ghost armada'
A database of suppliers who have been excluded from participating in US federal procurement.
United States · GSA
The primary United States' sanctions list, specially designated nationals (SDN) part.
United States · OFAC
Official register of individuals, entities, and vessel subject to UK sanctions under regulations made pursuant to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.
United Kingdom · FCDO
Sanctions imposed by Canada on specific countries, organizations, or individuals under the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) and JVCFOA
Canada · Global Affairs Canada
The Consolidated Screening List (CSL) is a list of parties for which the United States Government maintains restrictions on certain exports, re-exports, or transfers of items.
United States · ITA
Sponsors and accomplices of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.
Ukraine · GUR
ua-ws-vessel-695 · ca-sema-3acf97144672fd1fa3313a53453ff73461da6ec4 · ofac-pr-ca3c919f4c992fbc28a6bf5c7c6f9be8827e2270 · gb-fcdo-rus3018 · usgsa-s4mrvtttt · ua-ws-7b23db24f2668468a0b41c0b9107fddd4b751c07 · ofac-51707For experts: raw data explorer
OpenSanctions is free for non-commercial users. Businesses must acquire a data license to use the dataset.
| Linked from | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Role | Start date | End date | |
| Sunne Co Ltd Debarred entity · Export controlled · Sanctioned entity | - | - | - | |
| Owners | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Percentage held | Start date | End date | |
| Sunne Co Ltd Debarred entity · Export controlled · Sanctioned entity | - | - | - | |
| United Kingdom | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · UK | UK sanctions relating to Russia | - |
| Canada | Global Affairs Canada | Special Economic Measures Act | - | - |
| Ukraine | ГУР МО України | Vessels involved in the transportation of weapons, stolen Ukrainian products and in the circumvention of sanctions | - | - |
| United States | Office of Foreign Assets Control | Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions | - | - |
| Greetee Co Ltd Person of interest | commerce_manager | - |
| Greetee Co Ltd Person of interest | security_manager | - |
| Maisie Ltd Person of interest | - | - |
| Greetee Co Ltd Person of interest | - | - | - |