The United States has imposed sanctions on an Indian shipping company accused of facilitating the transport of oil from Iran through a so-called 'ghost fleet,' which is believed to be in violation of restrictions placed on Tehran.
On Friday, the US State Department announced that Gabbaro Ship Services Pvt. Ltd, based in India, was involved in "a significant transaction for the transport of petroleum from Iran" by managing the crude oil tanker Hornet. The department further stated that Gabbaro also holds an interest in the vessel.
This action follows remarks by US national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who revealed that Washington is cracking down on the "ghost fleet"—a term used to describe vessels that covertly transport goods, often in violation of sanctions. These ships operate under various disguises to evade detection.
The sanctions mean that all property belonging to Gabbaro and any of its interests in the US are frozen. This restriction also applies to individuals or entities holding more than 50 percent ownership in the company.
In addition to Gabbaro, the US State Department also sanctioned Engen Management, a Suriname-based firm that serves as the commercial manager for Hornet, as well as two other companies from Suriname, and one each from China and Malaysia.
According to available corporate data, Gabbaro Ship Services is registered as a "one-man company" in Mumbai. The International Maritime Risk Rating Agency lists Gabbaro as the technical manager of the Hornet, an oil tanker.
Marine Traffic, which tracks global shipping, noted that the Hornet sails under the flag of Swaziland and was last spotted at Nansha Port in China's Guangzhou. The vessel appears to be traveling between the Persian Gulf and China.
Data from Magic Port, a ship traffic monitoring service, shows that the Hornet’s recent journey took it from a port in the United Arab Emirates in late August to Oman. After making a stop in Singapore, the ship arrived in Guangzhou on Wednesday.
In a separate announcement earlier, the US revealed new sanctions targeting Iran's energy trade, citing a 1 October ballistic missile attack launched by Iran against Israel. The State Department stated that six entities involved in the Iranian petroleum trade, as well as six vessels, are now classified as blocked property.
The US Treasury Department also plans to impose sanctions on anyone found operating within the petroleum or petrochemical sectors of Iran’s economy. Additionally, the department has sanctioned 10 entities and identified 17 vessels as blocked property for their roles in facilitating shipments of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products.
Sullivan emphasized that these measures aim to cut off financial resources Iran uses to fund its missile programs and support terrorist groups that threaten the US and its allies.
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