Tanker Seized by Americans Belonged to Iran’s Shadow Fleet

The tanker seized by the Americans off the coast of Venezuela on December 10 belonged to Iran’s shadow fleet.

This was reported by J. Michael Waller, senior strategy analyst at the American think tank Center for Security Policy (CSP).

This refers to the Skipper tanker, which, according to the analyst, sailed under a false flag and transmitted false information about its location.

The United States had previously put the vessel on the sanctions list for participating in oil trade for the Quds Force of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Waller notes that the tanker was registered in Panama and sailed under a false flag of Guyana (i.e. a stateless vessel) and belonged to Triton Navigation Corp in the Marshall Islands.

At the same time, this company is owned by a Singapore shell company and managed by a Nigerian firm, and is ultimately owned or controlled by Viktor Artemov, a Ukrainian citizen living in Switzerland.

He operates a so-called ‘shadow fleet’ of tankers, including those used to deliver Iranian oil. According to Michael Waller, the 333-meter tanker previously sailed under the names Adisa and The Toyo.

In November 2022, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on Artemov and related companies and individuals, as well as 11 tankers, allegedly involved in oil trafficking originating in Venezuela, Iran, and Russia.

The funds from the trade, according to the US government, were used to support the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Skipper oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela was seized by US Special Forces, who landed on its deck from an MH-60 Seahawk military helicopter.

The tanker left the main Venezuelan oil port of Jose between December 4 and 5, after loading about 1.8 million barrels of heavy Merey crude oil.

The United States is preparing to intercept more and more ships carrying oil from Venezuela.