The Pola-Pelagia: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

Between March 30 and April 4, 2024, the sanctioned cargo ship 'Pola Pelagia' successfully unloaded a shipment at the port of Bari, Italy. This cargo had originated from the Russian port of Kavkaz. Shortly thereafter, another vessel belonging to the same shipping company, the 'Pola Maria,' docked at Brake from April 5-6 carrying a significant load of 7.80 kilotons of grain and oilseeds sourced from Kaliningrad. While agricultural products typically fall outside the scope of EU sanctions, both vessels and their owners, Pola Rise LLC, are currently under sanction by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These vessels are registered with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, which has ceased its affiliation with the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). Furthermore, details regarding the Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club for both 'Pola Pelagia' and 'Pola Maria' remain undisclosed, raising alarms regarding potential insurance coverage. The absence of a valid and ongoing insurance policy could jeopardize the ship owners' ability to cover liabilities arising from incidents at sea, including disastrous oil spills.