Stop the Hop
Over the past 12 months, UANI has unearthed dozens of cases of foreign tankers in illegal clandestine operations, designed to help Iran skirt oil sanctions.
These findings have been presented to the world’s “flag registries,” which grant the licenses required for any large vessel to make international voyages.
The flag registries have stepped up.
They have launched investigations, conducted hearings, published new banned vessel lists for information sharing, and de-flagged vessels altogether.
Among the 70 pinpointed vessels, for instance, UANI identified Comoros-flagged “ELLA IX” receiving oil in a ‘ship-to-ship’ (STS) transfer with the blacklisted Iranian tanker “ARGO 1” on July 24, in the north-eastern sector of the Persian Gulf.
Despite intentionally disabling their satellite systems to hide the two vessels’ identities and locations, UANI successfully detected, tracked, and exposed this illicit operation.
After receiving this information, Comoros correctly deflagged ELLA IX. Many other responsible flag registries, including Gabon, Mongolia, Tuvalu, and St. Kitts & Nevis, have likewise deflagged vessels when shown UANI research.
These are critical developments.
Between one-third to one half of Iran’s oil is exported via furtive STS transfers, loaded from Iranian to foreign tankers in the open seas, away from terrestrial tracking.
It must be stopped.
And with every responsible international registry that deflags a bad ship, the number of available flag options available narrows.
By meticulously tracking and alerting the registries of suspicious STS activity, UANI is slowly but surely turning the screws on this massive, lucrative sanctions hole.
Nonetheless, while the flag registries are doing their part, they need support. Too often, a vessel simply ‘hops’ from one flag to the next, and to the next.
Sanctioning agencies, notably the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), should individually designate the vessels and/or their owners/operators as a complementary remedy to address ‘flag-hopping.’
Below is a chart showing the 70 vessels UANI has investigated between November 2019 to November 2020.
|
# |
Name |
Notes |
|
1 |
ETHAN (f/k/a LUBOV) (IMO: 9293741) |
Deflagged by Comoros following UANI letter, Declassified by Bureau Veritas following UANI letter |
|
2 |
GAS LEADER (f/k/a SEA SAPPHIRE) (IMO: 9114581) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 11/13/2019 |
|
3 |
EVERRICH 10 (IMO: 9088536) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
4 |
SEA BREEZE (f/k/a JAG LARA and FREE SEA) (IMO: 9257503) |
Deflagged by Gabon following UANI letter |
|
5 |
ABYSS (IMO: 9157765) |
P&I cover by Hydor AS expires on 11/25/2020 |
|
6 |
NADEZHDA (IMO: 9254915) |
Vessel is only temporarily registered by Malaysia |
|
7 |
LAKA (f/k/a ASTA) (IMO: 9203253) |
Deflagged by Comoros following UANI letter Investigation ongoing by Cook Islands |
|
8 |
XENIA S (f/k/a BALDER & ADRATIS) (IMO: 9165542) |
Deflagged by Gabon and Tanzania following UANI letters |
|
9 |
PANDI (IMO: 9105073) |
Destined for for Venezuela |
|
10 |
SEA GLAMOUR (f/k/a SEA ELEGANCE) (IMO: 9208057) |
Declassified by Indian Register of Shipping |
|
11 |
SEAGER (f/k/a PSD SEDOWA) (IMO: 9166417) |
Investigation ongoing by DNV GL |
|
12 |
GARIN (f/k/a OPAL SEA) (IMO: 9081825) |
Suspected of calling at assaluyeh on 2/15/2020 |
|
13 |
ELVA (f/k/a EKATERINA) (IMO: 9196644) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis following UANI letter |
|
14 |
ALBA (f/k/a BERING) (IMO: 9149225) |
Destined for Venezuela |
|
15 |
QUEEN I (IMO: 8614467) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
16 |
ANASTASIA I (IMO: 9200964) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
17 |
DAZZLE (f/k/a VERA) (IMO: 9203277) |
Deflagged by Comoros following UANI letter |
|
18 |
LAVAL (f/k/a GIESSEL) (IMO: 9246279) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis and Tanzania following UANI letters |
|
19 |
GORI (IMO: 9144067) |
Flag is unknown |
|
20 |
PHOENIX (f/k/a LERAX) (IMO: 9181194) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis following UANI letter |
|
21 |
ANAHI (f/k/a AMFITRITI) (IMO: 9273337) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis and Tanzania following UANI letters |
|
22 |
MR NAUTILUS (IMO: 9150767) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 7/21/2020 |
|
23 |
BLUE PEARL (f/k/a JUBILANT) (IMO: 9192260) |
Suspected of calling at Soroosh on 11/5/2020 |
|
24 |
ELLA IX (f/k/a MARS V) (IMO: 9246138) |
Deflagged by Comoros following UANI letter |
|
25 |
ELISA SEA (f/k/a ARK RESCUE) (IMO: 9199828) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis, Gabon and Tanzania following UANI letters |
|
26 |
LADY D (f/k/a LADY M) (IMO: 9256858) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 8/2/2020 |
|
27 |
WHITE PURL (IMO: 7230666) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
28 |
ORE (IMO: 8617055) |
Deflagged by Tanzania following UANI letter |
|
29 |
YOLANDA (f/k/a LAVINIA) (IMO: 9255945) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis following UANI letter |
|
30 |
KARMA (f/k/a PROUD NADIA) (IMO: 9213301) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS for Iranian oil on 11/7/2020 |
|
31 |
ANN (f/k/a S TRADER) (IMO: 9216559) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 9/13/2020 |
|
32 |
DAISY 2 (IMO: 9255933) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama and DNV GL |
|
33 |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
|
34 |
HURON (IMO: 9162928) |
Investigation ongoing by DNV GL |
|
35 |
CLARA (IMO: 9081837) |
Investigation ongoing by Comoros |
|
36 |
BRIGHT SONIA (IMO: 9213296) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
37 |
CAILI STAR (IMO: 9218181) |
Deflagged by Liberia following UANI letter |
|
38 |
SAPPHIRE I (IMO: 9193721) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
39 |
CAIDA STAR (IMO: 9240885) |
Investigation ongoing by Hong Kong |
|
40 |
VIOLETA (IMO: 9265744) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 9/22/2020 |
|
41 |
BRAVELY LOYALTY (IMO: 9582726) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 9/24/2020 |
|
42 |
EASTERN ONE (IMO: 9149251) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
43 |
THE WEISSE (IMO: 8818843) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
44 |
NEXO (IMO: 9014456) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
45 |
OCEAN SCHOONER (IMO: 9189110) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
46 |
EVER SHINING (IMO: 9247077) |
Investigation ongoing by Hong Kong |
|
47 |
GAO CHENG 3 (IMO: 9637650) |
Investigation ongoing by Hong Kong |
|
48 |
INGRID (f/k/a SUPER LADY) (IMO: 9201592) |
Investigation ongoing by Sierra Leone |
|
49 |
TOWER RISE (IMO: 8912546) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
50 |
ARROW (IMO: 9127033) |
Deflagged by Tuvalu following UANI letter |
|
51 |
CROWN (IMO: 9260366) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 10/5/2020 |
|
52 |
VERGIOS (IMO: 9187435) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 10/9/2020 and 10/24/2020 |
|
52 |
PERUN (IMO: 9256860) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 10/10/2020 |
|
53 |
GAS ORPHEUS (IMO: 9046784) |
Investigation ongoing by Panama |
|
54 |
APHRODITE (IMO: 9005065) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with GAS ORPHEUS on 10/17/2020 |
|
55 |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 10/11/2020 |
|
|
56 |
BEATRIS GAS (IMO: 9041655) |
Deflagged by St Kitts & Nevis following UANI letter |
|
57 |
DELPHINE (f/k/a VALENTINA) (IMO: 9341512) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with HURON on 10/15/2020 |
|
58 |
CAPE GAS (IMO: 9002491) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 10/16/2020 and 10/26/2020 |
|
59 |
YONG XIN (IMO: 9203930) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 10/18/2020 |
|
60 |
SHAWNA (IMO: 9242120) |
Investigation ongoing by St Kitts & Nevis |
|
61 |
GAS GEMINI (IMO: 8818219) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with BEATRIS GAS on 10/21/2020 |
|
62 |
AUDREY (f/k/a MOXON) (IMO: 9133070) |
Suspected of calling at Tombak on 10/22/2020 |
|
63 |
VENUS 7 (IMO: 9007386) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with GAS ORPHEUS on 10/26/2020 |
|
64 |
DOMINAR (f/k/a SEINE) (IMO: 9194139) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 10/30/2020 |
|
65 |
FOREVER RICH (IMO: 9203928) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 10/30/2020 |
|
66 |
ARINA (IMO: 9189952) |
Suspected of engaging in a STS with a NITC vessel on 11/3/2020 |
|
67 |
PVT DOLPHIN (IMO: 9288277) |
Suspected of calling at Lavan Island on 11/5/2020 |
|
68 |
GAS ORCHID (f/k/a GAS SOPHIA) (IMO: 8912558) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 11/6/2020 |
|
69 |
ADISA (IMO: 9133587) |
Investigation ongoing by Indian Register of Shipping |
|
70 |
DOLPHIN (f/k/a CLARA) (IMO: 9052331) |
Suspected of calling at Assaluyeh on 11/10/2020 |
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