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Since the spring of 2024, tankers owned by Marine Guardian Shipmanagement LLC have repeatedly transported black gold from Russian ports to Asian countries, including Thailand.

Despite the sanctions, the company Marine Guardian Shipmanagement LLC continues to sell Russian oil

https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/ua-ws-a0a306f8a08dc0d2cbdf3c7fba906c54e617e63b/

Marine Guardian Shipmanagement LLC is registered in Sumgait at the address: Apartment 17, House 1, M/D 9 (9th microdistrict, building 1, apartment 17).

As of mid-2024, this company had two Aframax tankers designed for transporting crude oil at its disposal.

Sumgait company transports Russian oil on Aframax tankers

One of them was purchased from the Greek Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN), a shipping company listed on the New York Stock Exchange and owning dozens of modern oil tankers. At the same time, TEN regularly renews its fleet, selling tankers that are approaching 20 years old and replacing them with new vessels.

According to the TradeWinds portal, in April 2024, TEN sold the Aframax tanker Izumo Princess to an unnamed company registered in Azerbaijan. The 107,400-ton vessel, built in 2007, brought the seller $37 million.

TEN did not disclose the name of the buyer, but according to the IHS Global database, the vessel changed its name to Thorin and joined the fleet of Marine Guardian Shipmanagement LLC, registered in Azerbaijan. This is one of two tankers of the company.

According to international resources tracking the movement of ships, the tanker Thorin, sailing under the flag of Panama (IMO 9330472, MMSI 352004687), left the port of Novorossiysk several weeks ago, called at the end of January at the Egyptian port of Port Said, and then headed for the coast of China. The final destination of the route is the Chinese port of Qingdao, where, according to preliminary data, the tanker should arrive on March 1.

Tanker Lebre
Previously, this vessel sailed under the flag of the Cook Islands (tankers of the so-called “shadow fleet” transporting Russian oil often change flags to hide traces of transportation – ed.).

https://www.vesselfinder.com/ru/vessels/details/9255672

As is known, a few days before the end of his term, former US President Joe Biden imposed another tough sanctions against Russia. In particular, the restrictions affected numerous trading companies engaged in the sale and transportation of Russian oil, as well as dozens of vessels from the “shadow” tanker fleet.

In addition, sanctions against the banking system of the Russian Federation were tightened, which significantly complicated payments for buyers.

After the sanctions imposed by Biden, dozens of tankers from the “shadow” fleet transporting Russian oil were unable to enter the ports of India and China for weeks, remaining in the open sea awaiting permission. According to available data, some ships are still unable to unload and are standing at anchor. At the same time, the Thorin vessel is not included in the US sanctions list.

A few days before the end of his term, former US President Joe Biden imposed yet more tough sanctions against Russia. In particular, the restrictions affected numerous trading companies engaged in the sale and transportation of Russian oil, as well as dozens of vessels from the “shadow” tanker fleet.
A report by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), published in June 2024, notes that, despite the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the G7 countries, new tankers are joining the transportation of Russian oil every month. In May 2024, 14 vessels were added to this list, including the Thorin tanker.

The name of another tanker owned by Marine Guardian Shipmanagement LLC. The Lebre, which currently flies the flag of Barbados (IMO 9255672, MMSI 314001008), was acquired from the Greek shipping company Thenemaris in 2024. Previously, it flew the flag of the Cook Islands. The amount of the deal is not disclosed, but according to Thenemaris, the sale of the Lebre tanker, along with another vessel, brought the company $ 60 million.

Tanker Thorin

https://www.vesselfinder.com/ru/vessels/details/9330472

According to international ship tracking services, the Lebre tanker, built in 2004, is currently in the Red Sea and moving towards the Suez Canal. Some time ago, the ship delivered Russian oil to the Indian port of Sika, which it left on February 9.

A joint investigation by the Institute for Strategic Studies of the Black Sea and the BlackSeaNews portal showed that since mid-2024, Lebre has been involved in the transportation of Russian oil, loading it in the ports of the Baltic and Novorossiysk.

The company Marine Guardian Shipmanagement LLC also appears in the database of the State Tax Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but we were unable to find any information about its owner or the legally responsible person.