Sanctioned Russian vessel sinks, two missing, after explosion
Ursa Major, a Russia-flagged 9,490 dwt general cargoship was travelling to Vladivostok carrying project cargo
Two seafarers are missing and 14 rescued after engine room explosion sunk ship
TWO seafarers are missing after an engine room explosion sank sanctioned Russia vessel Ursa Major (IMO: 9538892) while it was transiting eastbound in the Strait of Gibraltar on December 23, according to press and casualty reports.
The 2009-built, Russia-flagged general cargoship was reportedly sailing to Vladivostok from St. Petersburg with project cargo on board including two 45-tonne hatches for a nuclear icebreaker and two port cranes.
The vessel was controlled by Oboronlogistika, a company that is part of the Russian Defence Ministry’s military construction operations, and was one of around 70 ships sanctioned in May 2022 by the US government’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Fourteen seafarers were rescued after four vessels came to aid the crew, but two remain missing with reports saying a fuel pipe failure in its main engine left the ship adrift near Portugal.
Four vessels came to help the 9,490 dwt general cargo vessel with containership capacity including a Spanish warship, and another sanctioned Russia cargo vessel, Sparta (IMO: 9268710), according to reports.
Ursa Major, along with its registered owners SC South, has been subject to direct sanctions by the US Treasury since August 2022 when it was targeted as part of a sweeping series of designations against individuals and entities considered to be critical to Russia’s ability to wage war against Ukraine.
SC South was also targeted by UK sanctions in May 2023 on the basis of undisclosed activities that were contributing to the destabilisation of Ukraine, according to UK Treasury documents.
