ANDROMEDA STAR

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Latest news

Russian shadow tanker on sanctions list

The UK government imposed sanctions on 30 vessels, among them the 'Feng Shou', that are a part of the Russian Shadow Fleet for performing illicit oil transport operations on Nov 25. In addition, two Russian insurance companies have also been targeted for their role as facilitators. The aim of the sanctions is to hinder Russia from continuing its offensive in Ukraine by hamstringing Russian oil revenues. The tankers have transported more than $4.3 billion of oil and its derivatives in the last year alone. With this sanctions package, the total number of vessels in the Russian shadow fleet sanctioned by the UK has risen to 73, the highest of any nation in the world. Along with the sanctions, the UK government also exhorted other countries to follow its call to action and act against the shadow fleet. So far, 46 countries have joined this initiative. The vessels that operate in the shadow fleet engage in deceptive practices and are poorly maintained, leading to a hazard on the open seas and increasing the danger for all other vessels. Therefore, cracking down on the vessels and the companies that insure them would also clear shipping lanes of unsafe traffic. The Russian insurance companies Alfastrakhovanie PLC and VSK have been sanctioned. This will prohibit any cooperation with these insurers and effectively cut them off from the international markets. The tankers that have been placed in sanctions will be banned from entering UK ports. The UK authorities have reserved the right to direct the movements of these vessels and detain them if needed. These vessels will not be registered on the UK Ship Register, and existing registrations of these vessels will be terminated. In addition to this, these vessels will not be able to benefit from price cap exemptions even if they were involved in transactions that qualify for the Oil Price Cap Exception.

Missile attacks on Russian shadow flag tanker caused slight damage

The Houthis launched two new attacks on April 26, 2024, the 26th, marking the third consecutive day of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. They claimed to have attacked the 'Andromeda Star' and 'Maisha'. The UK Maritime Organization also confirmed that the incident occurred 14 nautical miles southwest of Al Mukha, Yemen near the northern part of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The captain of the 'Andromeda Star' reported that two missile attacks caused minor damages to the vessel. Despite the attack, the vessel, en route from Primorsk to Vadimar, continued transmitting signals indicating it had no contact with Israel. The 'Cochi' of the Indian Navy assisted the ship, and all 30 crew members, including 22 Indians, were reported safe. The destroyer intercepted the tanker, and did an aerial assessment. A team from the Navy also boarded the tanker to undertake a residual risk assessment. They said the vessel was deemed safe and continued its voyage. The missile directed to the 'Maisha' exploded close to the vessel. The master of the vessel stated that the crew onboard felt the repercussions. The tanker was en route from Cochin to the Suez Canal. The case of the 'Andromeda Star' is of particular interest, as it belongs to the so-called shadow fleet hauling Russian oil around the world. The aframax was bought in Nov 2023 by the Seychelles company Algae Marine. After a collision with the Bulgarian cargo m/'Peace' in the Danish Strait, it turned out that the ship’s insurance documents were not valid and the vessel’s emergency generator was faulty, raising again concerns about the potential for an environmental catastrophe with a number of near-disasters reported among the ageing fleet of tankers of the shadow fleet

Tanker to be auctioned

Brightoil's tankers were headning for an auction block on order of the Hongkong Court. The Singaoren counterparts prepared the auction of the fleet of the troubled fuel trader including the "Brightoil Galaxy", "Brightoil League" and "Brightoil Lucky", anchored in Hong Kong waters.