Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Hauncayo

After being held for nearly four months, the tankers 'Freya' and 'Horse' have been released by Indonesian authorities and expelled from the country's waters during the weekend of May 28-29. The vessels had faced detention for allegedly conducting an illegal ship-to-ship oil transfer in a restricted area and for not properly identifying themselves to local authorities. On January 24, Indonesia's Coast Guard reported that both vessels were operating in 'dark' mode, with their AIS signals turned off, failing to display national flags while anchored, and not responding to radio communications from coast guard officials. Chinese officials later confirmed that their tanker was linked to the operation. Meanwhile, Iranian authorities acknowledged the vessels' presence in Indonesian waters but defended their actions, claiming the transfer between their tanker and the Chinese buyers was legitimate. On May 25, the Batam District Court ruled against the vessels and their captains for violating international shipping regulations and failing to adhere to the shipping channel's rules, sentencing both captains to one year in prison. However, the court suspended the jail term contingent upon the vessels departing Indonesian waters and committing no similar violations for the next two years. Additionally, the court found the vessels guilty of polluting the seas, with the 'Freya' facing a fine of approximately $140,000 for the environmental offense.

Last month, Indonesian authorities made headlines by seizing the vessel 'Horse' amid suspicions of a clandestine ship-to-ship transfer involving the sanctioned Iranian tanker 'Freya'. This incident has revealed profound connections between 'Horse' and a network long-identified by U.S. sanctions for involvement in illicit Iranian oil trade. Operated by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), the 'Freya' is under U.S. sanctions and has recently been linked to companies with established ties to sanctioned entities involved in Iranian oil transactions. The seizure occurred while both vessels were anchored in the waters west of Kalimantan, located on the island of Indonesian Borneo, where they were discovered with obscured flags and disabled AIS transponders. Reports indicated that 'Freya' was leaking fuel during the controversial transfer. Importantly, the 'Horse' played a role in a fleet dispatched by Tehran last year, specifically designed to transport Iranian condensate to Venezuela. Additionally, in recent months, the 'Freya' has successfully delivered two cargoes to China, further entrenching its ties to a wider network of individuals and companies barred from involvement in Iran-related petroleum trade. The company Moonlight Shipping Pte. Ltd., which operates the 'Freya', is particularly noteworthy. Corporate records show that its sole shareholder lists a Dalian, China address linked to subsidiaries of COSCO, the Chinese shipping conglomerate that has faced sanctions for oil transportation activities involving Iran. Maritime documentation also indicates that 'Freya' is owned by Freya Limited, located at the same Singapore address as Moonlight Shipping. Compounding these connections, Moonlight Shipping previously managed the vessel 'Themis', relinquishing control shortly after 'Freya' was seized. Notably, it had also turned off its AIS transponder in December 2020 for three days in proximity to the area where both 'Horse' and 'Freya' were ultimately apprehended. Meanwhile, the current management of 'Themis', Shanghai Prosperity Ship Management, has a questionable history linked to vessels previously associated with COSCO’s Dalian subsidiaries tied to Iran’s oil operations. Adding to the web of associations, the manager of 'Freya', Shanghai Future Ship Management Co. Ltd, while not listed in Chinese corporate records, shares its address with Chengda Ship Management Co. Ltd. Records further reveal that Chengda is related to Shanghai Prosperity and Xinchi Petrochemical Co. Ltd, companies that have had executives and beneficial owners sanctioned for their roles in the Iran oil trade. These ties remain under scrutiny as global authorities continue to monitor illegal oil transport networks. For further details, view the report with accompanying photo: https://brief.kharon.com/updates/seized-vessel-shows-wider-ties-to-illicit-iranian-oil-trade-networks/

Indonesian officials have seized two supertankers, the 'Horse' and the 'Freya', on suspicion of illegal oil transfers. Both vessels are currently en route to Batam Island in the Riau Islands Province for further inquiry. The 'Horse', owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company, and the 'Freya', managed by Shanghai Future Ship Management Co, were intercepted on January 24 while operating in Indonesian waters near Kalimantan Island. The crews aboard the tankers comprise 61 members, hailing from Iran and China. Authorities anticipate their arrival in Batam between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time (0600 GMT to 0700 GMT) on January 26. While some crew members remain on the ships, others have been temporarily detained on Coastguard vessels for questioning as the investigation proceeds. Reports indicate that the two supertankers were engaged in an oil transfer operation, which resulted in an oil spill around the receiving ship, the 'Freya'. Further examinations are underway to ascertain the full extent of the violations. Notably, both vessels attempted to obscure their identities by not displaying national flags, deactivating their Automatic Identification System (AIS), and failing to respond to radio communications. They were apprehended during a standard patrol by Indonesian Coast Guard forces. For more detailed coverage and images, refer to the report available at Reuters.