US sells seized Russian shadow fleet tankers for scrap
File photo: The US sold Russia's shadow fleet tankers for scrap (Getty Images)
The US has sold two oil tankers, the Era and the Lileo, which have ties to Russia and were seized in January during a naval blockade, for scrap, according to Reuters.
Both vessels were purchased by the Dubai-based recycling company Global Marketing Systems (GMS) for an undisclosed amount. The tankers have now been shipped to the Indian port of Alang, where they will be dismantled.
As GMS clarifies, the legal basis for the sale was a corresponding decision by a US court. At the same time, the company's CEO, Anil Sharma, notes that difficulties arose during the signing of the agreement due to legal uncertainty regarding the vessels' previous owners.
Tankers seizure and the Kremlin's response
The tanker Era (originally the Bella 1, flying the Panamanian flag) was detained by the US military on January 7 in waters south of Iceland. In late December, the US Coast Guard attempted to intercept it off the coast of Venezuela as part of a blockade against Venezuelan oil exports.
While fleeing across the Atlantic Ocean, the vessel changed its name to Marinera and was registered in Russia. According to Washington, the tanker was transporting sanctioned raw materials from Venezuela and Iran, and its owner turned out to be Ilya Bugay, a businessman from Crimea.
This incident sparked a sharp reaction in Moscow—in particular, Russian authorities accused the US of an illegal use of force and a violation of freedom of navigation. Later, the Russian Foreign Ministry appealed to US President Donald Trump to release the crew.
The second tanker, the Lileo (formerly the Veronica), was subject to US sanctions and was also seized in the Caribbean Sea in January. During the pursuit, the vessel attempted to evade arrest by changing its name to Galileo and flying the Russian flag.
Reuters reported that, in total, US forces have seized ten oil tankers as part of the naval blockade of Venezuela. Vessels subject to sanctions regularly change their names, flags, and owners to conceal illegal shipments.
The US Senate nearly unanimously supported a bipartisan bill imposing sanctions against Russia and Iran. The bill has already been sent to the House of Representatives. It calls for tariffs of up to 500% on Russian goods, as well as sanctions against Russian banks and the country's shadow fleet.
In addition, the European Union has allowed member states to sell confiscated Russian oil. Moscow has called such actions piracy.
