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BALU

Maritime detention · Shadow fleet · Person of interest · Sanctioned entity
TypeVessel[sources]
NameBALU · TAVARIS CASSEL[sources]
Build Date[sources]
Call SignN/A · TJM0133[sources]
Deadweight Tonnage305704[sources]
DescriptionThe tanker is involved in the supply of Iranian oil to China. The Iranian Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS) and its main commercial subsidiary, Sepehr Energy Jahan Nama Pars Company (Sepehr Energy), continue to create front companies and rely on buyers and intermediaries to facilitate their authorized oil trade. AFGS and Sepehr Energy continue to rely on access to a fleet of aging shadow fleet oil tankers to supply oil to foreign buyers. As of early 2025, Sepehr Energy official Toomaj was using vessel IMO 9275660 to facilitate the supply of Iranian oil to China. Many tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil to countries such as China are also involved in Venezuelan trade, including tanker IMO 9235244. 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. On May 13, 2025, the US imposed sanctions on the tanker.[sources]
FlagCameroon[sources]
Gross Registered Tonnage159016[sources]
IMO NumberIMO9235244[sources]
MMSI613469620[sources]
Past FlagsCameroon · Greece · Luxembourg · Marshall Islands · Panama[sources]
Previous nameAstro Chorus · Balu · New Global · Zeeland[sources]
TypeFSO · Floating Storage Tanker · Oil tanker[sources]
Source linksanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov · war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua[sources]
Last changeLast processedFirst seen

Descriptions

Iran's 'ghost armada'

Ukraine War and Sanctions,

The Maduro-Khamenei Oil Alliance

Ukraine War and Sanctions,

Relationships

Data sources

Tokyo MoU Detention List8,425

Ships detained by Port State Control (PSC) authorities within the Tokyo MoU region.

Global · Tokyo MoU

Ukraine War and Sanctions5,122

Sponsors and accomplices of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine · GUR

US Trade Consolidated Screening List (CSL)23,555

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

US OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List36,679

The primary United States' sanctions list, specially designated nationals (SDN) part.

United States · OFAC

External databases

The record has been enriched with data from the following external databases:

Tokyo MoU Port State Control Inspections667

Vessels inspected by member authorities under the Tokyo MoU.

External dataset · Global · Tokyo MoU


Source data IDs: ofac-54177 · ua-ws-8487912b7395a9fe1f22a93c2dab76e4653afa02 · tokyo-mou-psc-bf79703ea432b23522591f4891d177f4e2c323d4 · tok-mou-det-c250da5165552911416c17b5b69837eea9c65a58 · ofac-pr-7cbf78c9d7b6177de432d0aabafe853122da0bca · ua-ws-vessel-1089

For experts: raw data explorer