Sanctions-busting suspect VLCC runs aground in China

Sanctions-busting suspect VLCC runs aground in China

A Panama-flagged VLCC linked to sanctioned oil trade is said to be stranded near an oil terminal in Qingdao

• 22 Mar 2022
• NEWS Lloyd’s list

•  Cichen Shen
• [email protected]

A rupture of the petroleum loading arm during the incident has caused oil to leak, although it is unsure whether there is any spill from the hull. The vessel is without P&I coverSource: Lloyd’s List IntelligenceTHE VESSEL WAS NAMED FRONT SERENADE BEFORE IT WAS SOLD TO ADS SHIPPING IN 2018.

A VERY large crude carrier allegedly linked to Iranian oil trades is said to have run aground at the Chinese port of Qingdao.

Mooring ropes were broken as the 2002-built, Panama-flagged Arzoyi (IMO: 9248473) was unloading at Qingdao Haiye Mercuria Terminal on March 21, according to local port sources.

The petroleum loading arm was also snapped, causing oil to leak into the sea, they said.

It is not clear if there was any spill as a result of the incident, the cause of which is unknown. Local meteorological data shows weather conditions were normal at the time.

An official from the Qingdao Port Group, the main operator of the port, said he was unaware of the situation as the involved terminal was not owned and run by the group.

Three tankers with unknown class, flag and insurance shipped 10% of Iran-China crude

By Michelle Wiese Bockmann05 Jan 2022

Updated: West of England P&I also cancels cover for another tanker identified by United Against Nuclear Iran as undertaking the most ship-to-ship transfers of Iran crude in 2021Read the full article here 

The terminal company has been approached for comment.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence data shows the 299,152 dwt tanker is owned by Dubai-based Marshal Shipping. The company has been approached for comment.

The VLCC, which left Yosuin South Korea on March 16 and arrived in Qingdao on March 20, remains static at the port’s Huangdao oil terminal.

It is currently accompanied by a 63,388 dwt product tanker Zhong You Hua Yuan 18 (IMO: 9909950), which is likely to be used to unload cargo from the VLCC to help refloat it, according to one tanker expert.

Arzoyi was among a series of tankers identified from vessel-tracking data by United Against Nuclear Iran as being engaged in at least nine ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian crude last year.

The VLCC, previously named ADS Serenade and Front Serenade, is without P&I cover, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Its insurer was West of England P&I Club until January this year.

In a statement to Lloyd’s List, the club suggested at the time that the cancellation was in relation to the vessel’s breach of sanctions.