Topic
Sanctions
Every Vessel Hunter story on Sanctions: 75 stories, from 24 August 2026 to 14 October 2026. Newest: "Sweden releases sanctioned tanker Sea Owl I after seven months off Trelleborg". Each story links to the ships and ports it names, so a name in the text opens the record behind it.
Sweden releases sanctioned tanker Sea Owl I after seven months off Trelleborg
Sweden lifted its ban on the EU-sanctioned tanker Sea Owl I on 12 October, seven months after she was boarded off Trelleborg under a suspected false flag.
Sanctioned Russian ro-ro Lady Mariia has spent 35 days at anchor off Port Said
The US-sanctioned Russian ro-ro Lady Mariia has been at anchor off Port Said for 35 days since a drone attack off Crete, broadcasting her position on AIS.
EU's largest Russia listing hits Sevmash, Admiralty Shipyards and submarine design bureaus
The EU has listed 826 Russian companies and 743 executives, including Sevmash, Zvezdochka, Admiralty Shipyards and the Rubin and Malakhit submarine bureaus.
Malaysia says it cannot police shadow fleet transfers as Iranian oil offshore runs low
Malaysia's transport minister says ship-to-ship transfers beyond port limits are outside its reach, as Iran's floating crude off Malaysia falls to about 10 million barrels.
Busan manager IOB takes over four Arc4 LNG carriers once built for MOL
Busan-based IOB has started operations with four 174,000 cu m Arc4 LNG carriers built for MOL and plans to add three to six Arc7 ships in 2027.
Aframax Rio burns off Sochi after uncrewed boat attack; 23 crew rescued
The Liberia-flagged tanker Aframax Rio caught fire off Sochi on 6 October after an attack by uncrewed boats. All 23 Indian crew were rescued and local beaches were closed.
Black Sea sinkings, Hormuz strikes, Japan names 35 ships
The Maritime Briefing of 6 October 2026: Alfa Watan and Royad Mammadov sunk by drones, five Hormuz incidents, Japan's first ship sanctions and a $117m VLCC resale.
Japan sanctions 35 shadow fleet ships in its first vessel designations
Japan has designated 35 ships tied to Russian oil exports, its first sanctions on individual vessels: services, financing and crew supply now need permission.
Maritime Briefing of 5 October 2026
Kazimah III struck in Hormuz, Russia detains Västerbotten, the UK sanctions three Arc7 LNG carriers, LNG Canada Phase 2 is approved and Contships orders up to 30 feeders.
UK sanctions three Arc7 LNG carriers, including Pyotr Stolypin before her delivery
The UK has sanctioned the Arc7 LNG carriers Aleksey Kosygin, Konstantin Posiet and Pyotr Stolypin, the third still on sea trials, in a 1 October package that listed eight ships.
Maritime Briefing of 29 September 2026
The MAIB's Argos Georgia report, the shadow fleet's move to the Russian flag, Global Car Carriers' 20-ship orderbook, Dunkirk's pick of TiL and a 60,000-tonne lift for Statfjord A.
Sanctioned tankers move to the Russian flag as Europe cuts false flags by half
Europe's detentions have cut the shadow fleet ships flying false flags from 101 to 45, but 107 vessels have moved to the Russian registry since January 2025, most of them already sanctioned.
Russian cargo ship Yuriy Arshenevskiy sails from Tobruk to Turkish waters after arms delivery
The Russian-flagged Yuriy Arshenevskiy left Tobruk after a convoy delivered military vehicles to eastern Libya, passed the Dardanelles and turned for Tuzla short of the Bosporus.
Puntland forces free the tanker Sibu 1 from Somali pirates after five weeks
Puntland's navy and maritime police have freed the product tanker Sibu 1, seized off Yemen on 20 August, and arrested the pirates. Three hijacked ships remain off Somalia.
Three VLCCs stopped under the Iran blockade head across the Atlantic towards the US
Three VLCCs stopped by US forces under the Iran blockade, Tifani, Majestic X and Lenore, are sailing towards the United States with about six million barrels of Iranian crude.
This Week in Maritime: freight takes a quarter of the barrel
The week freight reached a quarter of the price of a barrel, a 15-year-old VLCC sold above newbuild, a seafarer was killed in Hormuz, an MSC feeder was left adrift and China took 82% of new orders.
Salvage under way at the Caroline Bezengi wreck off Oman as the monsoon eases
Salvors are now working on the deck of the stranded tanker Caroline Bezengi off Oman, with pumps flown aboard by helicopter and a floating hose being run out, after the Khareef winds abated.
Maritime Briefing of 24 September 2026
Washington extends blocking measures to shipowners, insurers and ports; Chinese yards take 82% of first-half contracting; and the June Aster death toll reaches 77.
This Week in Maritime: the strait gets a price list, the Dali gets a record
The week a VLCC fixed a Gulf voyage above $1m a day, Washington sanctioned the crypto rail behind Iran's transit fees, Asian port congestion passed its pandemic peak and the Dali became the largest single loss the P&I market has carried.
Maritime Briefing of 20 September 2026
A drone kills a master in the Black Sea while Turkey circulates a truce text, the Dali becomes the largest single loss in P&I history, and Asian port congestion passes its pandemic peak.
US Sanctions the Crypto Exchange Behind Iran's Hormuz Transit Fees
OFAC has sanctioned BitBank, the cryptocurrency exchange used to process payments to the IRGC-linked HormuzSafe scheme that charges commercial vessels for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Hormuz Blacklist Reaches 77 Ships and Now Warns Insurers and Class Societies
Iran's self-declared Persian Gulf Strait Authority has taken its Strait of Hormuz blacklist to 77 named ships and warned insurers, P&I clubs and classification societies to stop servicing them.
EU Ports Took 156 Yamal Cargoes in Eight Months Before the January Ban
EU ports received 156 Yamal LNG shipments totalling 11.39m tonnes in the first eight months of 2026, 10% more than a year earlier, three months before the import ban takes effect.
Somali Pirates Release the Sward and Its 17 Crew After a Ransom Payment
The general cargo ship Sward has been released near Garacad with all 17 crew after almost five months in pirate hands, leaving four commercial vessels still held off Somalia.
Albania Turns Away Shadow Fleet Tanker Hanuman at Durres
Albanian authorities refused the product tanker Hanuman entry to Durres after Ukrainian military intelligence identified it as part of Russia's shadow fleet.
Hanwha Ocean faces a second billion-dollar claim over Arctic LNG 2 ships
LLC Arctic LNG 2 is seeking about 1.37 trillion won from Hanwha Ocean over three cancelled ice-class LNG carriers, on top of the shipowners' existing claim.
Maritime Briefing of 9 September 2026
The day in shipping: the Consultative Shipping Group warns of a two-tier system, Espino de Marotta takes over a dry Panama Canal, and Hapag-Lloyd gets 30 days to rework its Zim bid.
Yemen Coast Guard Stops the Tanker Nereida After a Call at Ras Isa
The Yemen Coast Guard has stopped the sanctioned product tanker Nereida after a delivery at the Houthi-controlled port of Ras Isa, saying the ship entered without permits or UN inspection.
Maritime Briefing of 8 September 2026
The day in shipping: Rosneft opens its Arctic export terminal, fire hits the icebreaker Admiral Makarov, Panama defers a draft cut, and a sanctioned roro is struck off Crete.
Sanctioned Russian Roro Lady Mariia Reported Struck by Drones off Crete
The sanctioned Russian roro Lady Mariia was reportedly hit by drone-dropped munitions near Crete while heading east towards Syria. Neither side has confirmed the strike.
Putin Inspects the Arc7 LNG Carrier Pyotr Stolypin at the Zvezda Yard
The Russian president visited the Zvezda complex at Bolshoy Kamen on 2 September to inspect an icebreaking LNG carrier built for a project whose scale has been cut back by sanctions.
COSCO Rejects Claims That Its Ships Carry Hidden Intelligence Equipment
COSCO Shipping has issued a statement firmly opposing allegations that its vessels carry concealed platforms to intercept military communications near coastlines.
EU Forces Board a Sixth Tanker in the Mediterranean for Flag Verification
Italian forces boarded the crude tanker Sun from helicopters and launches on 30 August, the sixth flag verification by EUNAVFOR IRINI since its mandate was extended this year.
Singapore Warns Owners and Agents Over False Vessel Data Filed for Port Calls
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore has warned that false or unverifiable information on identity, ownership, cargo or trading history could bring enforcement action.
Iranian Tankers Ride at Anchor off Sri Lanka and Malaysia With Nowhere to Discharge
A US naval blockade of Iranian ports has left a fleet of empty tankers stranded at anchorages off Galle and east of Johore, most of them unladen and many under sanctions.
Maritime Briefing, 1 September 2026: Ferry Loss, Shadow Fleet, Record Congestion
A ferry lost off Cyprus, three shadow fleet stories in a week, 4.3m TEU waiting for a berth, and 400 ships still unable to leave the Persian Gulf.
Urals Crude Returns to VLCCs for Asia as Freight Costs Climb
Reduced Hormuz traffic and eased Venezuela measures have freed up part of the shadow VLCC fleet, opening the trade again.
Danish Yard Takes a Third Russian-Linked LNG Tanker Before the January Ban
The Boris Davydov has delivered at least 50 Yamal cargoes worth some $2.2bn since her last visit to the same yard in 2023.
Russia Opens Northern Sea Route Talks With India and Vietnam
The Arctic corridor cuts about 40 percent off the distance from Indian ports to Europe, and India is planning a first pilot transit in 2027.
EU Mission Boards Tanker MV Sun in Sixth Shadow Fleet Interception
A boarding team went on to the MV Sun for a flag check on 30 August, the sixth shadow fleet vessel entered by EU operations in recent months.
Royal Navy Shadows Russian Escort Group Through the Channel
Russian activity around the UK is up 25 percent over the first eight months of 2026, and shadow fleet transits off Ireland's west coast have almost tripled.
VLCC Caroline Bezengi Still Leaking Crude off Oman After Ten Weeks
The sanctioned VLCC has been aground on the Hallaniyat Islands since late June, and the oil plume from her is still spreading to the north-east.
TotalEnergies Completes Its Exit from Russia's Arctic LNG 2
TotalEnergies has transferred its 10 percent interest in Arctic LNG 2 to Novatek subsidiary NordLine, retaining a claim to about $1.3 billion in shareholder loans.
Arctic LNG 2 Fleet Grows to 18 Carriers as China Shipments Climb
Novatek and its partners now run a fleet of at least 18 gas carriers serving the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, with 31 shipments delivered to China this year.
Iran Blacklists 45 Ships as OFAC Warns Against Hormuz Compliance
Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority has published a 45-ship non-compliance list, while Washington warns that even responding to its requests can trigger sanctions.
Sanctioned Tanker Caroline Bezengi Still Leaking Oil Off Oman
The beached shadow-fleet tanker is settling deeper in the water off the Hallaniyat Islands, and salvage work cannot begin until the Khareef monsoon eases.
Russian Urals Crude Tops Brent in India for First Time Since May
Russian Urals crude for October delivery to India has been offered at a premium over Dated Brent for the first time since May, as drone attacks constrain loadings from Novorossiysk.
Syria and Myanmar Appear as False Flags on Russia-Linked Tankers
Russia-linked tankers claimed Syrian and Myanmar flags for the first time in the second quarter, as the IMO's list of falsely flagged vessels climbed to 580.
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