COSCO

According to publicly accessible ship-monitoring data, since January 1, 2016, vessels for which COSCO Shanghai is the Operator have called at Iranian ports. According to publicly accessible ship-monitoring data, since January 1, 2016, vessels for which COSCO Shipping Specialized is the Operator have called at Iranian ports.

“While NITC continues to be the market leader in terms of the number of ships deployed for loading crude from Iran, other companies with ships loading from the country include Dynacom, Delta Tankers, Euronav, Polembros, COSCO, Avin International, Olympic Shipping and Management, New Shipping and Thenamaris, it said.” (Platts, "Tankers: Sharp Rise in Iran's Crude Oil Shipments to Europe," March 2017). (https://www.platts.com/latest-news/shipping/singapore/tankers-sharp-rise-in-irans-crude-oil-shipments-26674925)

"A subsidiary of the company has been identified as potentially providing shipping services for Iranian oil. In 2019 CalPERS designated the company as under review. In 2020 CalPERS changed the designation to “being monitored” because CalPERS’ initial screening has not identified the company as having involvement in the regions and/or activities targeted by the Act. CalPERS continues to monitor the company for possible changes in status relevant to the Act." (https://www.calpers.ca.gov/docs/forms-publications/iran-sudan-divestment-2020.pdf)

Listed by the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization as doing business with the Iranian Arya Padideh Hasti.  (Ports & Maritime Organization: Companies Affairs Department: Liners) (http://portaffairs.pmo.ir/companiesaffairsdepartment-liners-en.html)

"China's COSCO Container Lines is studying the possibility of resuming operation at Iranian ports. Wu Jinping, Director General of the Chinese International Shipping Line 'COSCO', paid a visit toIran's Shaid Rajaee port, which is the largest container port in the country, Iran's IRNA news agency reported on April 28. Wu Jinping promised to talk with senior officials of the company about resuming operation at the Iranian port. China's COSCO Container Lines, the world's 5th largest international shipping company, ended its ties with Iranin June 2013. ‘All of COSCO's business to and from Iran was suspended,’ said a Shanghai-based company official, citing a company statement saying lines to Iran stopped in early June and those leaving Iran ended in early July. The loading and unloading capacity of Iran's Shahid Rajaee port currently stands at 88 million tons.” (Trend, “China’s COSCO may return to Iran,” 4/28/14) (http://en.trend.az/regions/iran/2268132.html)

"China's government can follow Japan's example and provide insurance guarantees for Chinese tankers carrying Iranian oil amid Western sanctions on Iran, top shipping conglomerate COSCO Group said on Tuesday . . . 'We need to wait until the insurance issue is solved. We are pushing for a solution right now. Without insurance cover, we wouldn't dare to ship oil from Iran,' Wei Jiafu, state-owned COSCO Group's chairman, told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference.'Japan has set a precedent, we can just follow their lead.' Wei's comments, the first from a prominent Chinese firm about Iran oil shipments, suggest China's government may be considering state guarantees for its ships to enable the world's second-biggest oil consumer to keep importing Iranian crude." (Reuters, "Govt insurance a way for China to ship Iran oil-COSCO," 7/17/12) (http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/07/17/idUKL4E8IH0X420120717)

As of August 27, 2019, COSCO is listed on the Illinois Investment Policy Board list of Iran restricted companies. (https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/iipb/Pages/ProhibitedInvestmentList.aspx)

"China's COSCO Container Lines, the world's number 5 player, was another firm to end ties. 'All of COSCO's business to and from Iran has been suspended,' said a Shanghai-based company official, citing a company statement saying lines to Iran stopped in early June and those leaving Iran would end in early July." (Reuters, "Chinese firms drop Iran as latest U.S. sanctions bite," 07/01/2013) (http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/01/uk-iran-shipping-idUKBRE9600WT20130701)

"On September 25, 2019, OFAC added COSCO Shipping Tanker (DALIAN) Co., Ltd. to the list of Specially Designated Nationals (“SDN”) relating to Iran. COSCO Shipping Tanker (DALIAN) Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation. In 2019, CalSTRS designated COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation as “Divested and Restricted” after OFAC added one of its subsidiaries to the list of Specially Designated Nationals. In 2020, OFAC lifted the sanctions on the COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation. CalSTRS subsequently removed the “Divested and Restricted” status." (https://www.calstrs.com/sites/main/files/file-attachments/calstrs-investment-reports-2020.pdf?1609284307)

COSCO’ has apparent business ties to the sanctioned Iranian entity, Petrochemical Commercial Company (“PCC”). According to the PCC website, PCC offers tracking of COSCO containers (PCC, “Tracking”). (http://v1.petrochem-ir.net/en/services/tracking)

"On Sept. 25, the U.S. imposed sanctions on five Chinese individuals and two Chinese COSCO Shipping Corp subsidiaries, saying they had shipped Iranian crude oil in violation of the sanctions. Days later, 14 COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) vessels, about one-third of its fleet, stopped sending location data from their automatic identification system (AIS) between Sept. 30 and Oct. 7, ship tracking data on Refinitiv Eikon showed." (Reuters, "U.S. 'deeply concerned' about untrackable China ships carrying Iran oil: officials," 10/16/2019). (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran-china-tankers-idUSKBN1WV0SE?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=5da717ef515383000140bea6&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter)

Operates as a liner in Iranian ports.  (Ports and Maritime Organization: Shipping Lines which operating in Iranian Ports) (http://portaffairs.pmo.ir/portaffairsdepartment-shippinglines-en.html)

"A subsidiary of the company has been identified as potentially providing shipping services for Iranian oil. CalPERS has commenced the review process to determine whether the company meets the threshold criteria for consideration under the Act." (https://www.calpers.ca.gov/docs/forms-publications/iran-sudan-divestment-2020.pdf)

According to publicly available shipping information, LPG Tankers SEA DOLPHIN (IMO: 9195494) and SEA GLORIA (IMO: 9005053), technically managed by COSCO Shipping Seaman, have called at an Iranian port on two occasions, most recently in January 2019.

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"The Treasury said it deleted COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Co from its sanctions list but continues to blacklist a second unit - COSCO Shipping Tanker (Dalian) Seaman & Ship Management Co Ltd." (Reuters, "U.S. pressure on Iran to continue despite lifting sanctions on China's COSCO unit, official says," 1/2/2020). (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa-cosco/u-s-pressure-on-iran-to-continue-despite-lifting-sanctions-on-chinas-cosco-unit-official-says-idUSKBN1ZV3T6)