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VERNAL

Shadow fleet · Person of interest · Sanctioned entity
TypeVessel[sources]
NameVERNAL · Vernal[sources]
Build Date[sources]
Call Sign9LS2065[sources]
Deadweight Tonnage160240[sources]
DescriptionThe tanker, during the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo, the price-cap policy on ussian oil, has been involved in the export of russian oil from russian ports in the Baltic Sea to third countries since March 2023. The vessel is involved in the transportation of Venezuelan oil. In early December 2023, the tanker LIBERTY (the former name of the tanker) under the flag of Cameroon ran aground in the Strait of Malacca, which forced the Singaporean authorities to send 5 tugboats to the scene and prepare for an oil spill. In June 2023, the vessel entered the port of Ust-Luga, after which it was recorded with geometric circles off the coast of Angola in August-October. This location was previously associated with the Venezuelan dark fleet trade, in which tankers give out their location in Angola to disguise their real operations in Latin America. The vessel then sailed into the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope and arrived in Singapore in late November 2023, where it ran aground on December 2. Satellite research conducted by TankerTrackers.com claims that the LIBERTY was loaded with almost a million barrels of Venezuelan fuel oil. After the incident, the vessel changed its name from LIBERTY to VERNAL and the vessel's management. The Maritime Executive noted that Cameroon had become a 'shelter' for a shadow fleet, including those involved in the transportation of sanctioned russian oil. Vessels registered under the Cameroon flag have been linked to other oil smuggling operations, including in Iran and Venezuela. The international public organization Greenpeace refers to the tanker as a shadow fleet of tankers that transport russian oil around the world and threaten the environment. From July 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions on a tanker for transporting crude oil/petroleum products that originate in russia or are exported from russia using irregular and high-risk shipping practices as set out in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly resolution A.1192 (33). On August 12, 2025, Switzerland imposed sanctions on the vessel. On October 15, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.[sources]
FlagSierra Leone[sources]
IMO NumberIMO9207027[sources]
MMSI667002362[sources]
Past FlagsCameroon · Liberia[sources]
Previous nameAlgeciras Spirit · Kriti Spirit · Liberty · Nuria Tapias · Riti S[sources]
Type20[sources]
Source linkeur-lex.europa.eu[sources]
Last changeLast processedFirst seen

Descriptions

Transport crude oil or petroleum products that originate in Russia or are exported from Russia while practicing irregular and high-risk shipping practices as set out in the International Maritime Organisation General Assembly resolution A.1192(33).

— Swiss SECO Sanctions/Embargoes,

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.

— UK FCDO Sanctions List,

Relationships

Data sources

EU Sanctions Map1,319

The EU Sanctions Map is a visualisation of EU sanctions policy. It includes a broader set of policies and entities than the EU consolidated sanctions list.

European Union · Council

Swiss SECO Sanctions/Embargoes7,773

Switzerland manages a sanctions lists with a high degree of detail on the individuals that are subject to it's embargoes

Switzerland · SECO

Ukraine War and Sanctions5,404

Sponsors and accomplices of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine · GUR

UK FCDO Sanctions List5,982

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

EU Council Official Journal Sanctioned Entities2,805

Supplemental list of people, companies, and organizations sanctioned for involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

European Union · Council

Source data IDs: ua-ws-vessel-523 · eu-oj-3c3b15eb7434393a58075e4b82160c80ae0cd5c6 · gb-fcdo-rus3134 · eu-sancmap-c22ecbe22212c05af662a3a373cbe8479aa66138 · ch-seco-95324 · ua-ws-97d59852add17652742cee2de7af4444d7d1f7ed

For experts: raw data explorer

FactsheetDescriptionsData sources
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