Discover the Walrus: Ratings & Maritime News

As of February 17, the 'Cordelia Moon' remains anchored in the Gulf of Kutch at coordinates 22° 33' N 069° 40' E. This tanker, owned by a Seychelles-based company and managed from India, is linked to the trade of Russian oil and is currently entangled in the complexities of U.S. sanctions enforced by the Biden administration against Russia. The vessel reached Vadinar Port on February 9, but was denied the opportunity to dock and unload its cargo. On board is approximately one million barrels of Russian oil sourced from Surgutneftegaz in Novorossiysk, loaded between January 10 and January 12. India has made moves to reject the reception of cargoes or vessels that have been sanctioned, particularly those loaded after January 10. Previously, India turned away Russian shipments under Western influence, and recently, China's Shandong Port Group also announced it would not accommodate sanctioned vessels. The future of the 'Cordelia Moon' remains uncertain. After a scheduled transit to Suez post-cargo unloading in India, the tanker faced an attack by Houthi forces on October 1, 2024. The ship's captain reported observing several splashes during the initial assault, with the Houthis claiming to launch eight missiles and one drone at the vessel. The attacks caused damage, puncturing the tanker’s port ballast tank. Following repairs, 'Cordelia Moon' proceeded through the Bosphorus towards Russia for its next cargo but encountered engine failures. The Bosporus Strait was closed on December 26 due to the incident, prompting Turkish authorities to intervene and tow the vessel to a safe anchorage for repairs, which continued until January 4.

On December 26, 2024, the tanker 'Cordelia Moon' encountered a critical engine malfunction while navigating the Bosphorus Strait, specifically off the coast of Yeniköy. The vessel was en route from Yalova to Novorossiysk when it experienced the failure, leading to significant disruptions in maritime traffic both northbound and southbound. The Istanbul Vessel Service (VTS) Center swiftly took charge of the situation, orchestrating the deployment of three tugboats—'Kutarma 8', 'Kurtarma 10', and 'Kurtarma 11'—to assist in towing the impaired vessel. Ultimately, the 'Cordelia Moon' was successfully guided to Ahırkapı Anchorage, positioned at 40° 59' N, 028° 57' N. During the operation, ship movement in the Bosphorus was temporarily suspended to ensure the safe handling of the crude oil tanker. Video footage capturing the incident can be viewed here: https://x.com/i/status/1872282872931115191.

The tanker 'Cordelia Moon' has been anchored off the West Coast of India for the past two days, transporting crude oil sourced from a Russian producer recently subjected to U.S. sanctions. The vessel was slated to unload its cargo at Vadinar on February 9, 2025, after taking on approximately one million barrels of Urals crude oil at Novorossiysk between January 10 and January 12. This shipment is significant as it originates from Surgutneftegas, one of the two Russian oil producers hit with sanctions by the U.S. on January 10. This incident marks the first detection of Surgutneftegas' oil shipments loaded post-sanction cutoff as outlined by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). According to reports, at least four additional tankers are poised to arrive in the near future, with another tanker containing oil from Gazprom Neft—the second sanctioned producer—also en route. India's Oil Secretary, Pankaj Jain, stated that cargoes loaded after January 10 from sanctioned entities will not be permitted for acceptance. However, he admitted he was unfamiliar with the situation regarding the 'Cordelia Moon', which notably is not included in the list of 161 oil tankers blacklisted by OFAC. The developments surrounding 'Cordelia Moon' highlight the complexities of global energy supply chains amid escalating geopolitical tensions.