US sanctions Indian company for involvement in 'Ghost Fleet' transporting Iranian oil

New York, Oct 12
The United States has sanctioned an Indian ship services company for allegedly being involved in the transport of petroleum from Iran through a "Ghost Fleet" in defiance of restrictions on Tehran.

The State Department said on Friday that Gabbaro Ship Services Private Ltd based in India “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 that 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.”

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 that Engen Management, a Suriname-based company, was also sanctioned as the commercial manager of Hornet.

In addition, two other Surinam 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 that 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 Guangzhou on Saturday.

The tanker appears to be plying a route between the Gulf and China.

According to Magic Port, which monitors ship traffic, 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.