Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Rina

The bunker tankers 'Rina' (IMO: 9010929) and 'Zircone' continue to serve the Russian shadow fleet, largely operating from ports in Riga, Klaipeda, and Paldiski. Despite the heightened isolation of Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the operational patterns of these vessels remain largely unchanged. A significant portion of their maritime clientele consists of Russian-owned tankers navigating to and from oil export terminals at Primorsk and Ust-Luga. Many of these vessels are now part of the Russian-controlled dark fleet, known for frequently altering their registered flags and names. On March 11, 2025, 'Rina' provided bunkering services to the tanker 'Blue' (IMO: 9236353), which was then under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda and reportedly owned by Turkish interests. Subsequently, on October 30, the 'Zircone' refueled the 'Blue' off the coast of Gotland. Earlier, on August 17, 2024, the 'Zircone' refueled another tanker, 'Rainbow' (IMO 9302126), which was also flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag at the time. The 'Rainbow' was later bunkered by 'Rina' on December 14 while operating between Primorsk and Libya. Notably, neither the 'Blue' nor the 'Rainbow' faced sanctions during their bunkering, even as several of their subsequent voyages led to sanctions later on, particularly for their activities at Primorsk and Ust-Luga. Investigations indicate that from June 2024 to March 2025, 'Rina' and 'Zircone' provided bunkering services to 286 vessels, with over 160 being tankers that had previously visited key Russian ports. Since attention was drawn to their operations, both tankers have undergone ownership changes, ultimately being linked to FB Trade DWC-LLC, a Dubai-registered company (Commercial Registration 11119), while still conducting operations in the Baltic Sea. FB Trade is also suspected of managing the tanker 'Onyx 2' (IMO: 9169782), which flies the Comoros Islands flag and appears to be engaged in bunkering in the Gulf of Oman. This summary of events highlights critical weaknesses in the sanctions system, as Estonia and Latvia, amongst the most active nations opposing Russian aggression, have struggled to limit activities in their ports. Similarly, Denmark and Sweden, committed to exerting pressure on Russia, have found it challenging to rein in dark fleet-related operations within their maritime territories. Meanwhile, countries along the Gulf region, previously known for piracy, are generally reluctant to intervene in these illicit activities.