After restrictions were imposed on russian oil in December 2022, the tanker has been involved in exporting russian oil to third countries since November 2023, and is also involved in violating the G7 and EU oil embargo on the export of crude oil to the EU. Thus, in August 2024, in violation of the oil embargo, the vessel exported russian crude oil from the russian port of Taman in the Black Sea and delivered it to a transshipment point south of the Laconian Gulf, west of the island of Kithira. The international public organization Greenpeace classified the tanker as a shadow fleet. The shadow tanker fleet 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, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers. On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which enter into force on May 21, 2025, on the tanker for the transportation of crude oil/petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular high-risk shipping practices as specified in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33). On June 03, 2025, the sanctions imposed by Switzerland on the vessel came into force. On July 21, 2025, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the vessel.
The shadow tanker fleet 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, and poses significant environmental threats with significant economic costs to coastal countries and/or the international community due to the outdated and inadequate insurance of shadow fleet tankers.
After restrictions were imposed on russian oil in December 2022, the tanker has been involved in exporting russian oil to third countries since November 2023, and is also involved in violating the G7 and EU oil embargo on the export of crude oil to the EU. Thus, in August 2024, in violation of the oil embargo, the vessel exported russian crude oil from the russian port of Taman in the Black Sea and delivered it to a transshipment point south of the Laconian Gulf, west of the island of Kithira.
On May 20, 2025, the EU imposed sanctions, which enter into force on May 21, 2025, on the tanker for the transportation of crude oil/petroleum products originating in or exported from russia, using irregular high-risk shipping practices as specified in the International Maritime Organization General Assembly Resolution A.1192(33).
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.
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)
Article 4x(2), point (b):
transport crude oil or petroleum products, as listed in Annex XIII, 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)