A Russian-flagged oil tanker seized by Greek authorities on April 8 under the new EU and US sanctions regime remains marooned off an island until its fate can be resolved.
Lana, Photo: Jack Ronalds, MarineTraffic.com
A Russian oil tanker, the Lana, built in 2003, with 19 Russian crew members on board, remains stuck in Greek waters after being seized on April 8 under the sanctions regime imposed on Moscow by the EU over the war in Ukraine.
New regulations issued on April 16 prohibit Russian-flagged ships from entering EU ports.
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU has massively expanded sanctions against Russia, first started in 2014. Following EU rules, Greece has frozen bank accounts and seized property belonging to some Russian citizens and companies and has suspended its “golden visa” program for Russian citizens.
The Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs told BIRN that the Greek Anti-Money Laundering Authority ordered the seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker off the southern coast of Evia island.
In addition to the EU, the US has also imposed sanctions on five Russian ships owned by PSB Lizing OOO, a subsidiary of Russian state bank PSB. The Lana was also among the five ships included in the US list.
The Lana sailed from Marmara, Turkey, and was supposed to reload its cargo to another ship in Kalamata, in the Peloponnese peninsula. However, it suffered mechanical damage and as a result was towed by another vessel to safe anchorage off Karystos, where its identity and “connections” with PSB were identified by the Greek authorities.
BIRN has seen documents, however, that show that, as of June 2 2021, Lana no longer belonged to PSB Leasing but to TransMorFlot LLC. According to Lloyd’s list, the current beneficial owner of the Lana is Jamaldin Pashaev, the Russian owner of 17 ships based in Astrakhan.
Equasis, a public site promoting maritime safety and quality, said the Lana has changed names, flags and owners several times. Reuters reported on April 21 that the vessel was set to be released as the new registered owner was not included in any sanction lists.
The vessel remains at Karystos due to mechanical problems. A source with knowledge about the case, who wished to remain anonymous, told BIRN that its cargo has been seized.
The advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) disclosed that Lana former Pegas loaded around 700,000 barrels of crude from Iran’s Sirri Island on August 19 last year.
The Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs told BIRN that “the case is closed” and the Greek Anti-Money Laundering Authority declined to comment on the issue.
Lloyd’s List reported that the tanker remains in Greek waters because a court ruling is pending.
In the meantime, Greece together with Malta and Cyprus have raised concerns over the banning of EU flag or EU controlled oil tankers from shipping Russian oil. Windward Ltd, a maritime consultancy, said many Russian-flagged vessels had changed their flags in March in order to avoid sanctions.
Source link: balkaninsight.com
