US sanctions Indian company for being part of 'ghost fleet' bringing oil from Iran

The United States has sanctioned an Indian shipping services company for allegedly being involved in the transport of petroleum from Iran through a 'ghost fleet' in defiance of restrictions on Tehran.

The US state department on Friday said the India-based Gabbaro Ship Services Pvt. Ltd “knowingly engaged in a significant transaction for the transport of petroleum from Iran” by acting as the technical manager for the crude oil tanker Hornet. It said Gabbaro also has an interest in the ship.

The sanctions followed an announcement by national security adviser Jake Sullivan that Washington was taking action against “the ghost fleet that carries Iran’s illicit oil to buyers around the world”. The term 'ghost fleet' refers to ships clandestinely transporting products.

Under the sanctions imposed on Gabbaro, all property and any in which it has interests are frozen in the US, and this applies also to persons or entities with more than 50 per cent interest in the company, the state department notification said.

The department also said Engen Management, a Suriname-based company, was also sanctioned as the commercial manager of Hornet. In addition, two other Suriname companies, and one each in China and Malaysia, were also sanctioned.

Gabbaro is registered with the registrar of companies as a “one-man company” and is located in Mumbai, according to corporate information provider Zauba Corp. The International Maritime Risk Rating Agency said Hornet is an oil tanker for which Gabarro is the “technical manager/ operator.”

Marine Traffic, which tracks shipping, reported that Hornet sails under the Swaziland flag and was at Nansha Port in China's Guangzhou on Saturday. The tanker appears to be plying a route between the Persian Gulf and China.

According to Magic Port, which monitors ship traffic, the Hornet’s latest travels took it from a port in the United Arab Emirates in late August to Oman, and, after a stop in Singapore, it arrived at the Guangzhou port on Wednesday.

Earlier on Saturday, the US announced sanctions targeting Iran's energy trade in light of the 1 October ballistic missile attack launched by the country against Israel. According to a statement issued by the US state department, the department "is imposing sanctions on six entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trade and identifying six vessels as blocked property".

Meanwhile, the US treasury department "is issuing a determination that will lead to the imposition of sanctions against any person determined to operate in the petroleum or petrochemical sectors of the Iranian economy," the statement said as reported by Xinhua news agency.

"Additionally, Treasury is sanctioning 10 entities and identifying 17 vessels as blocked property for their involvement in shipments of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products in support of US-designated entities National Iranian Oil Company or Triliance Petrochemical Co. Limited," the statement added.

NSA Sullivan said in a statement that the above measures "will help further deny Iran financial resources used to support its missile programs and provide support for terrorist groups that threaten the US, its allies, and partners".