Business Sectors
Events
Contents
US sanctions 35 tankers and traders of Iranian oil in latest 'shadow fleet' push
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) says the vessels, companies and individuals under sanction play a ’critical role’ in moving Iranian crude
The United States Treasury’s OFAC has levied sanctions against 14 entities and 21 vessels the organisation says play a critical role in transporting illicit Iranian petroleum to foreign markets.
OFAC said the reasons for the sanctions include an Iranian attack on Israel on 1 October 2024, funding of so-called ’terrorist proxies’ of Iran and a bid to cut into petroleum revenues in Iran the US says are funding a programme to develop nuclear missiles and other advanced weaponry.
“Iran continues to funnel revenues from its petroleum trade toward the development of its nuclear programme, proliferation of its ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology, and sponsorship of its regional terrorist proxies, risking further destabilising the region,” US Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T Smith says.
"The United States remains committed to disrupting the shadow fleet of vessels and operators that facilitate these illicit activities, using the full range of our tools and authorities," he says.
Among the vessels sanctioned, was a VLCC, Ceres I, that was involved in a collision with an LR1 tanker in July 2024, near Singapore.
In the incident, 2017-built LR1 tanker Hafnia Nile collided with 2001-built VLCC Ceres I, which was, at the time, already alleged to be part of the ’dark fleet’ of tankers engaged in sanctions-evading activities. The collision near Singapore sparked fires on both vessels and led to an oil spill.
Ceres I had been previously flagged for multiple safety deficiencies. Investigations into these incidents highlighted recurring issues, including maintenance lapses and inadequate safety measures. The VLCC was also accused of tampering with its automated identification system (AIS) transponder and was stopped three days after fleeing the scene of the vessel collision, by the Malaysia Coast Guard, some 100 km away, under tow by three tugboats.
The following entities have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:
CERES SHIPPING LIMITED (a.k.a. CERES SHIPPING LTD-HKG), Room 2703, Richmond Comm. Bldg., 109 Argyle Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Organization Established Date 17 Sep 2019; Identification Number IMO 6126330; Company Number 2874294 (Hong Kong); Business Registration Number 71177840 (Hong Kong) [IRAN-EO13902].
GALILEOS MARINE SERVICES L.L.C (Arabic: جليليوس للخدمات البحرية ش.ذ.م.م), Office F98, Ahmad Building, Hor al-Anz, Deira, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Website www.galileosmarine.com; Organization Established Date 23 Jun 2019; Identification Number IMO 6422671; Business Registration Number 840352 (United Arab Emirates); Economic Register Number (CBLS) 11363519 (United Arab Emirates) [IRAN-EO13902].
LIGHTSHIP MANAGEMENT LTD, ul Chornomorskoho Kozatstva 115, Odessa 65003, Ukraine; India; United Arab Emirates; Bulgaria; Website www.light-shipmanagement.com; Organization Established Date 2020; Identification Number IMO 6141155 [IRAN-EO13902].
The following vessels have been added to OFAC’s SDN List:
BERTHA (a.k.a. MONICA S) (E5U5084) Crude Oil Tanker Cook Islands flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9292163; MMSI 518999103 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: SHANGHAI LEGENDARY SHIP MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED).
BLACK PANTHER (3EZT6) Chemical/Products Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9285756; MMSI 372988000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: TIGHTSHIP SHIPPING MANAGEMENT (OPC) PRIVATE LIMITED).
CERES I (S9U4) Crude Oil Tanker Sao Tome and Principe flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9229439; MMSI 668116233 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: CERES SHIPPING LIMITED).
ELVA (S9A3) Crude Oil Tanker Sao Tome and Principe flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9196644; MMSI 668116202 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: LUFINDO HOLDING LIMITED).
FIONA II (a.k.a. SELENE TRADER) (HPOE) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9262766; MMSI 351073000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: EUNOMIA LIMITED).
FT ISLAND (HQAI6) Crude Oil Tanker Honduras flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9166675; MMSI 334017000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: GAFFODIL CO., LIMITED).
JAYA (a.k.a. MONOCEROS) (V7A6410) Crude Oil Tanker Marshall Islands flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9410387; MMSI 538010982 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: GALILEOS MARINE SERVICES L.L.C).
LADY LUCY (a.k.a. DELPHI) (5LKL2) Chemical/Products Tanker Liberia flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9341512; MMSI 636022783 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: CONSTELLATION MARITIME SERVICES LIMITED).
LARA II (3EQL7) Oil Products Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9321421; MMSI 374740000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: VISION SHIP MANAGEMENT LLP).
LIONESS (3FLM9) Chemical/Products Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9285744; MMSI 353722000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: TIGHTSHIP SHIPPING MANAGEMENT (OPC) PRIVATE LIMITED).
MASAL (EPHO6) Crude Oil Tanker Iran flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9169421; MMSI 422169700 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: OCEAN GLORY GIANT OGG SA).
MEROPE (3E2648) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9281891; MMSI 352002495 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: SHANGHAI FUTURE SHIP MANAGEMENT CO LTD).
MIN HANG (E5U5075) Crude Oil Tanker Cook Islands flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9257137; MMSI 518999094 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: SHANGHAI LEGENDARY SHIP MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED).
OLIVE (a.k.a. BLUE NIL) (E5U5271) Crude Oil Tanker Cook Islands flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9288265; MMSI 518999290 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: TIGHTSHIP SHIPPING MANAGEMENT (OPC) PRIVATE LIMITED).
PHONIX (8RCY3) Crude Oil Tanker Guyana flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9198317; MMSI 750308000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: VISION SHIP MANAGEMENT LLP).
RIO NAPO (E5U4369) Chemical/Oil Tanker Cook Islands flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9256913; MMSI 518998389 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: VISION SHIP MANAGEMENT LLP).
TONIL (a.k.a. PARAGON DAWN) (3E2323) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9307932; MMSI 352002482 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: LIGHTSHIP MANAGEMENT LTD).
VANITY (a.k.a. BLISSFUL SEA) (T7BL8) Crude Oil Tanker San Marino flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9371608; MMSI 268241802 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: YURIMAGUAS LTD).
VERONICA III (3E2317) Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9326055; MMSI 352002475 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: SHANGHAI FUTURE SHIP MANAGEMENT CO LTD).
VESNA (V3MD7) Crude Oil Tanker Belize flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9233349; MMSI 312242000 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: SHANGHAI LEGENDARY SHIP MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED).
YURI (a.k.a. SOMERSET) (E5U5230) Crude Oil Tanker Cook Islands flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9235737; MMSI 518999249 (vessel) [IRAN-EO13902] (Linked To: YURIMAGUAS LTD).
Riviera’s International Chemical & Product Tanker Conference will be held in London, 22-23 April 2025. Click here for more information on this industry-leading event.
Related to this Story
Events
Maritime Regulations Webinar Week
16 Dec 2025
GMT - ONLINE
Floating energy: successfully unlocking stranded gas using FLNGs and FSRUs
24 Feb 2026GMT - ONLINE
© 2024 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.
