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Mercury

Person of interest
TypeVessel[sources]
NameMERCURY · Mercury[sources]
Build Date[sources]
Call SignTRAX8[sources]
DescriptionAccording to CREA, from January to August 2024, the number of shadow tankers crossing the Danish Straits in Europe increased by 277% compared to the same period in 2022, with 64% of the 46 million tons of russian marine oil transported through the Danish Straits being transported by shadow tankers. In the same period, the number of shadow tankers in the Straits of Dover and Gibraltar increased by 355% compared to 2022, transporting 67% of the 37 million tons of oil through the straits. The Suez Canal experienced a staggering 649% increase in shadow tanker traffic, with 69% of the 52 million tons of russian crude oil passing through it being transported by these vessels. · Almost all vessels that are involved in the transportation of russian oil by the shadow fleet since 2022 have been certified by the Indian regulator Indian Register of Shipping (IACS). The certification of shadow fleet vessels allows the shipowner/operator to insure the vessels, which, in turn, allows the vessels to enter ports and pass through various specific sea routes (straits, canals, etc.). · As sanctions are being imposed, russia uses a scheme of "juggling" ships between related companies to conceal oil exports outside the price cap and other restrictions, as well as to hide the real owners of ships, and to ensure unimpeded transportation of fossil fuels by a 'shadow' fleet of obsolete oil tankers, creates new companies for these purposes (in the UAE, Hong Kong, India, Turkey, Mauritius, Seychelles, and other jurisdictions) with non-transparent organizational and ownership structures. In order to implement this scheme, technical/commercial management and ship owners are constantly changing, and vessels are renamed with a change of flag, MMSI, call-sign, including for sanctioned vessels. Shadow fleet vessels operate under “convenient flags”, which allows them to conceal their true origin and avoid control by international organizations and insurance companies. · During the period of the G7 and EU oil embargo and the price-cap policy on russian crude oil, the tanker is involved in the export of russian crude oil to third countries from russian ports, including with the AIS system disabled. · Tanker mothership involved in the trans-shipment of oil cargo to the vessel "Shundlli" (IMO: 8355724) in 2022. The vessel is also currently under investigation by a UN Member State for acting as a mothership for oil transfers. · 6 more...[sources]
FlagGabon[sources]
IMO NumberIMO9262170 · IMO9321706[sources]
MMSI626315000[sources]
Past FlagsGreece · St. Kitts & Nevis · Liberia · Mongolia[sources]
Previous nameCap Charles[sources]
TypeCrude Oil Tanker[sources]
Source linkkse.ua · safety4sea.com · war-sanctions.gur.gov.ua · www.blackseanews.net · www.blackseanews.net · 4 more...[sources]
Last changeLast processedFirst seen

Descriptions

Transporting russian oil in violation of other restrictions

Ukraine War and Sanctions,

Transportation of fossil fuels

Ukraine War and Sanctions,

Relationships

Data sources

DPRK Reports5,519

A database of entities and events related to North Korea's sanctions evasion efforts.

United Kingdom · RUSI · non-official source

Ukraine War and Sanctions1,734

Sponsors and accomplices of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine · GUR


Source data IDs: ua-ws-d9e773119b6519ae72cf3d32612bfe5f6e523ce6 · kprusi-2ab8593e7cfcf59e5069d76fb85b9ab94f9f3a0a

For experts: raw data explorer