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Anonymous ID: f17a61 Dec. 27, 2024, 7:53 p.m. No.22240524   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>0804 >>0902 >>0926

First Supertanker to Be Scrapped in Two Years Is a Dark Ship

December 27, 2024

By Weilun Soon

Dec 27, 2024 (Bloomberg) –The Amor, a Cameroon-flagged vessel known to have transported Iranian oil, has become the first supertanker to be registered for demolition in more than two years, a sign that increased scrutiny on ships hauling sanctioned crude is raising pressure on operators.

The 24-year-old very large crude carrier was sold to an Indian scrapyard last week, according to a BRS Shipbrokers report and scrap dealer Wirana Shipping Corporation. This would be the first recorded, planned demolition of a VLCC since late 2022, when the Uranus was sent for disposal, according to ship-breaking data and BRS.

The scrapping of large ships became increasingly rare since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent imposition of Western sanctions on Moscow, which dramatically expanded demand for tankers to ferry restricted oil around the world. To support exports from the OPEC+ producer and from Iran, a plethora of private businesses stepped in to buy cheap, aging vessels — even two decades old and more — forming a “dark” fleet and keeping tankers afloat long past their usual lifespan.

Amor’s age, flag and other characteristics match those of this shadow flotilla. It was also included by the US Energy Information Administration in an October list of vessels involved in the export and sale of Iranian crude, though it hasn’t been blacklisted by US authorities.

The specific reason that prompted owners to tag Amor for disposal is not clear. Certainly, many dark-fleet tankers are much older and still in operation. But the decision comes as shippers report that tighter Western sanctions on shadow vessels have rattled the market and prompted operators to leave these ships idle at sea, or to shun them altogether. Weakening oil demand is also weighing on tanker rates that slumped in recent weeks as operator struggle to find work for their fleet.

“With Chinese demand and OPEC supply rangebound at best, and intensifying vessel-specific sanctions, VLCCs are under particular pressure. A clean-up of the aging fleet via scrappage is clearly due,” said David Wech, chief economist at analytics firm Vortexa.

In these conditions, scrapping older tankers can make sense, shipbrokers say — but must also be done fast. Once a ship appears on the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, blacklist, its scrap value tends to plummet. Mainstream dealers and yards shy away from taking such vessels as they could run the risk of facing secondary sanctions, according to BRS.

Amor Fleet Inc. and Valiant Marine Ventures FZE, who are listed on maritime database Equasis as the Amor’s owner and its manager respectively, do not list a phone number or email address, and it was not immediately possible to contact either. Calls and emails to the operator of the United Arab Emirates free-trade zone where the two are registered, Sharjah International Airport Free Zone, went unanswered.

Amor is known to have structural problems, which may have added to a broader struggle to secure bookings. Earlier this year, a Chinese port detained the ship for deficiencies including structural issues, fire safety concerns, and problems with markings that denote how much load it was carrying, according to Equasis.

In recent months, the US, UK and European Union have been sanctioning more individual vessels suspected of transporting sensitive cargoes, expanding the number of vessels considered “dark” and adding to downward pressure on freight rates. Fees have already been compressed by weak demand from China, whose refineries are key consumers for both Russia and Iran.

Since early October, US sanctions have focused on individual ships that transport Iranian crude. At least 60 million barrels’ worth of shipping capacity across more than 30 supertankers has been added to the dark-fleet pool, according to Bloomberg calculations. That compares with China’s consumption of 52 million barrels per month of Iranian crude, based on the latest three-month average shown by data provider Kpler.

That is not expected to ease in 2025. US President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser has vowed a “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran.

Amor could yet be pulled back into service, of course. Until the boat arrives, either the dealer in the giant scrapyard in Alang, in the Indian state of Gujarat, or the shipowner could still go back on the deal.

Amor’s signals currently suggest it is off Khor Fakkan, in the United Arab Emirates.

https://gcaptain.com/first-supertanker-to-be-scrapped-in-two-years-is-a-dark-ship/

Anonymous ID: f17a61 Dec. 27, 2024, 8:22 p.m. No.22240669   🗄️.is 🔗kun

EXCLUSIVE: Is The Modern Art Museum Of Fort Worth Promoting Child Porn?

Carlos Turcios - Staff Writer Tarrant/Fort Worth

With the end of the year fast approaching and Christmas right around the corner, a museum in Fort Worth is receiving backlash from the community after reports revealed that its current collection features pictures of naked children.

The Dallas Express received a tip from a Fort Worth resident, informing us that the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth has a section called Diaries of Home. The documentary photography includes pictures of naked children and LGBTQ+ content.

“Diaries of Home features works by women and nonbinary artists, who explore the multilayered concepts of family, community, and home. These artists challenge documentary photography by pushing it into conceptual, performative, and theatrical realms. They probe preconceptions about domestic, familial, and communal spaces in the United States, which are often considered feminine spheres,” according to the Modern Art Museum website.

Of interest, none of the featured images on the museum’s website show pictures of naked children. However, visitors see much more than upon arrival… too much.

The Dallas Express visited the museum and saw several pictures featuring children. One photo showed a girl jumping on top of a table. Another depicted a boy with an unknown liquid substance and his genitals exposed.

The Dallas Express team then saw a video on a TV screen where an individual talked about her “queerness.”

“One of my major apprehensions around having a child was not knowing how we would be treated as queer people and queer parents. This is largely why I wasn’t interested in being pregnant,” the individual is heard saying during a video played during the exhibit.

Other photos showcase a topless woman exposing her breasts and a photo of two women together in bed, to name a few.

DX then asked an employee when Diaries of Home was created and if they had received complaints from the public.

The employee told The Dallas Express that there were a “bunch of mixed reviews” and that the section was added in November.

According to the museum’s website, the collection runs from November 17, 2024, to February 2, 2025. '(cont) 1/2

https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/exclusive-is-the-modern-art-museum-of-fort-worth-promoting-child-porn/https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/exclusive-is-the-modern-art-museum-of-fort-worth-promoting-child-porn/

Anonymous ID: f17a61 Dec. 27, 2024, 8:23 p.m. No.22240670   🗄️.is 🔗kun   >>0697

>>22240669(cont)

The employee did not seem disturbed that such pictures were posted and pointed to a warning sign that said, “This exhibition features mature themes that may be sensitive for some viewers.”

Child pornography is NOT protected under the First Amendment and is a criminal act, according to the Department of Justice.

“Images of child pornography are not protected under First Amendment rights, and are illegal contraband under federal law. Section 2256 of Title 18, United States Code, defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor (someone under 18 years of age). Visual depictions include photographs, videos, digital or computer generated images indistinguishable from an actual minor, and images created, adapted, or modified, but appear to depict an identifiable, actual minor,” the U.S. Department of Justice website states under the Citizen’s Guide to U.S. Federal Child Exploitation Laws.

“Notably, the legal definition of sexually explicit conduct does not require that an image depict a child engaging in sexual activity. A picture of a naked child may constitute illegal child pornography if it is sufficiently sexually suggestive,” the guide continues.

Did the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth break the law? Why has the Diaries of Home collection been allowed to remain open since November?

The revelation has led to condemnation by Tarrant County residents and leaders alike.

“Pedophilia is not art. If this ‘artwork’ were on my phone, I would be arrested. Normalizing this is sick, and I want it to stop,” Tarrant County resident Kenya Alu told The Dallas Express.

“Child rape is not art, it’s pedophilia. Every adult that approves this, from the board to the staff, should be held accountable.” Tarrant County resident Leigh Wambsganss added.

“I am grateful to the concerned citizen who alerted the leadership of Tarrant County Citizens Defending Freedom about the deeply troubling and offensive material being exhibited as artwork in the museum. I also appreciate publications like this one that courageously inform the public about potential crimes against children in our community. I fully support any legal and appropriate actions taken by our local law enforcement to address these issues,” Tarrant County Citizens Defending Freedom Executive Director Rosalie Marie Escobedo told The Dallas Express.

The Dallas Express contacted the Modern Art Museum’s Manager of Strategic Marketing and Visitor Services, Dustin Van Orne, and Director of Communications, Kendal Smith Lake, for comment. However, the DX did not receive a response. 2/2

https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/exclusive-is-the-modern-art-museum-of-fort-worth-promoting-child-porn/https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/exclusive-is-the-modern-art-museum-of-fort-worth-promoting-child-porn/