As part of the effort to undermine operations of Russia’s shadow fleet used to circumvent international sanctions and sustain the war, Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service learned that the Kremlin employs tankers owned by Greek nationals or operated by Greek entities.
That’s according to the SZRU report posted Thursday, as seen by Ukrinform.
Intelligence operatives found that a Greece-based Latsco Marine Management Inc. is the beneficial owner and operator of the HELLAS FIGHTER (IMO 9722625) and HELLAS AVATAR (IMO 9722613) tankers that appear to be engaged in Moscow’s schemes. The former, having been loaded on March 7 this year in Russia’s Primorsk, is now en route to the Brazilian port of Suapi. The latter was also loaded in Primorsk on March 22, and is now moving along the coast of Portugal. Both vessels fly the flag of Malta – an EU member state, and are insured by The Swedish Club, a member of the P&I Club.
The SZRU says companies controlled by prominent Greek shipowner Evangelos Marinakis are also involved in the transportation of Russian oil. Marinakis is already known to the media in the context of his business involvement in the transportation of Russian oil. Since March 21, the AKRISIOS (IMO 9953456) tanker, flying the Greek flag, has been heading from Primorsk to Brazil’s Itaki. The beneficial owner of the tanker is Capital Ship Management Corp., and the operator is Capital Maritime&Trading Corp. The vessel is insured by Steamship Mutual.
At the same time, the AGIOS GERASIMOS (IMO 9693056) tanker, owned and operated by the Greek company Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Ltd, is sailing from Primorsk under Malta’s flag. The vessel is insured by NorthStandard P&I Association (UK). The vessel is expected to deliver oil to the Indian port of Mundra by April 30, the report reads.
Another participant in the scheme is the PORTOFINO (IMO 9564671) tanker, owned and operated by the Greek company Alberta Shipmanagement Ltd., which on March 18 took off to the Turkish port of Marmara-Ereglisi. This year, the vessel carried out 35 STS operations and repeatedly turned off its automatic identification system. Despite the Russian origin of the oil, the tanker was insured by the UK P&I Club, the SZRU notes.
The report adds that all tankers in question hold valid P&I Clubs’ insurance, renewed in February this year and valid until 2026. This allows them to freely check in international ports, get serviced, and continue their commercial activity, which fills Russia’s budget.
By providing insurance to the vessels of the “shadow” fleet of the rf, P&I Clubs help Russia profit off oil and gas exports, thus indirectly contributing to Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, the report reads.
Russian oil transportation by tankers flying flags of EU member states or by vessels owned by companies incorporated in Europe will soon be suspended, the intelligence report states, citing an interview with Fox News by U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, who acknowledged the importance of fighting Russia’s shadow fleet. The White House increasingly realizes that the Kremlin, as always, is playing a foul game.
“Therefore, another blow by Western countries led by the United States to the russian oil industry is a matter of the near future,” the report stresses. “Companies in Europe that do business with russia will definitely face a choice: to give up cooperation with moscow or to share the responsibility for actually sponsoring putin’s war machine that is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine.”
As Ukrinform reported earlier, the UK, together with partners, is exploring tougher sanctions on Russian oil.
Source: Ukraine’s intel puts in spotlight European companies involved in Russian maritime schemes
