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Anonymous ID: 39a433 Nov. 8, 2020, 1:21 a.m. No.8048   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>8058 >>8073 >>8075 >>8088 >>8117 >>8164

Oil tankers stripped of flags for US sanctions breach

By admin On September 2, 2020 In Insurance Marine News, Keep, Marine Liability, Political Risk, Credit & Finance

 

Four oil tankers were stripped of their flags following an investigation into allegations that they secretly transported Iranian oil, which would have been a breach of US sanctions.

 

An NBC News investigation found that the four ships all made secret visits to Iranian waters in 2020, collectively picking up millions of barrels of oil, according to data from maritime research company Tanker Trackers.

 

A July 31st report from NBC News featured 15 ships. Four of these, the Giessel (IMO 9246279),the Ekaterina (IMO 9196644), the Lerax (IMO 9181194), and the Amfitriti (IMO 9273337), were sailing under the flag of St Kitts & Nevis. Five days after the report was broadcast the St Kitts & Nevis Ship Registry decided it would no longer allow the tankers to fly under its flag.

 

Vessels that have been stripped of their flag effectively are unable to operate. Ports will not allow entry and the vessels will be uninsurable.

 

St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry said that the Giessel was de-flagged on August 4th following press reports that it had visited an Iranian port.

 

A registry spokesman confirmed the three other ships had also been stripped of their flags. Public records from the International Maritime Organization show that the four ships are no longer under the St. Kitts & Nevis flag, with their nationality now listed as “unknown.”

 

NBC News said that the maritime organization’s records revealed “a complex web of companies responsible for the ownership of each of the ships. But three of the vessels are ultimately under the care of the same firm, an Indian company called Floretta Ship Management. The fourth ship is linked to another Indian company, Ravel Ship Management.”

 

Marine Traffic lists the Giessel as at sea, having departed Qingdao, China and now off the south-east coast of Malaysia.

 

It lists the Ekaterina as having departed Qingdao and arrived at Kochi, India, on August 28th.

 

It lists the Lerax as en route from Sikka, India, to Singapore, with an ETA of August 25th, but as of August 31st, still off the south-east coast of Malaysia.

 

It lists the Amfitriti as en route from Changxindao, China to “Khawr Fakkan”, which is presumably the port of Khorfakkan in the UAE. As of August 31st it was offshore, between the UAE and Iran.

 

2002-built, 154,369 gt Giessel is owned by Vega Shipping care of Floretta Ship Management Pvt of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

 

2002-built, 159,383 gt Ekaterina is owned by ABC Shipping Ltd MAI care of Ravel Ship Management Pvt Ltd of Chennai, India.

 

2000-built, 159,187 gt Lerax is owned by Rigel Shipping Ltd care of Floretta Ship Management Pvt of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

 

2003-built, 156,967 gt Amfitriti is owned by Bellatrix Shipping Ltd care of Floretta Ship management of Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

 

https://insurancemarinenews.com/insurance-marine-news/oil-tankers-stripped-of-flags-for-us-sanctions-breach/