Sinokor’s buying spree pulls three former shadow fleet tankers into the light
- Sinokor has bought nearly 70 VLCCs since December 2025, including three vessels previously linked to Iranian and Venezuelan shadow fleet crude trades
- The purchases marks one of the first times a major shipowner has acquired VLCCs with documented histories of AIS spoofing and sanctioned oil movements, raising compliance and due diligence concerns
- While none of the ships is sanctioned, experts warn that vessels with deceptive‑practice histories face heightened scrutiny from banks, insurers and regulators as they re‑enter mainstream markets
South Korea’s Sinokor has absorbed three VLCCs with histories in Iranian and Venezuelan crude trades as part of its unprecedented buying spree, raising fresh compliance and due diligence questions as shadow fleet tonnage re‑enters mainstream markets
