Iran Sanctions: Ship to ship transfers
The Club has been made aware of recent attempts to export crude oil from Iran in breach of sanctions. On several occasions, oil has been carried from Iran, to Kor Fakkan UAE, under documents falsely describing the cargo as having been loaded in Iraq. It has then been delivered by ship-to-ship transfer to vessels bound for countries that do not benefit from a waiver under applicable US Sanctions legislation.
Members should be aware that the Club cannot provide cover to vessels which are involved in transporting crude oil originating from Iran and in breach of sanctions. In addition to automatic cessation of insurance cover under the Club's Rule 5V, Members and related parties may potentially face enforcement action by the US authorities for any violation of applicable sanctions.
Members involved in STS operations in the Arabian Gulf are accordingly advised to investigate carefully and exercise caution during operations. It is recommended that Members check with port agents that vessels providing cargo by means of an STS transfer did in fact load the cargo at the port stated in the cargo documentation. Members should also ensure that charter parties contain an appropriate sanctions clause.
The Club has a dedicated International Sanctions resource page on this website with the latest updates and information on sanctions. If Members have any questions on this issue please contact Nigel Carden.
Tags
You may also be interested in:
Our correspondents in China, Huatai Marine, have provided the latest update relating to the distribution of major fishery farms along the coast of China.
On 4 December 2022, the UK Government issued General Licence INT/2022/2469656 (“GL”) to implement the EU/G7 price cap in respect of Russian origin crude oil, which was amended on 3 February 2023 to implement the separate price cap in respect of petroleum products.
Loading grain cargo in the Pacific Northwest
03/05/2023
Loading grains in the Pacific Northwest can be a real test of patience. For shipowners not familiar with the Pacific Northwest, where it rains approximately 150 to 180 days per year, with rainfall totals averaging 40 inches per year, it is important to maximise loading during periods of light rain and to prevent vessel delays while avoiding moisture damage to the cargo during periods of moderate to heavy rain.
The region comprising Latin America and the Caribbean is a busy one for the UK P&I Club. Some prominent Members have a large number of tons entered with the Club and have this region as their principal place of business. Moreover, many of the Club’s entered ships frequently call at Latin American and Caribbean ports regardless of where the Member is based, which can undoubtedly be anywhere in the world.