US quietly sells seized Russian-linked shadow fleet tankers for scrap
- The US government has sold seized shadow fleet tankers Era and Lileo to recycler GMS, with both vessels now heading to Alang for demolition
- The sale closes a sanctions case spanning Venezuelan oil exports, Russian ownership structures and a dramatic US pursuit of Era across the Atlantic
- Despite court approval and US Treasury waivers, banks, insurers and service providers were reluctant to engage, underscoring the difficulties of disposing of sanctioned vessels even after seizure
Two shadow fleet tankers seized in a high-profile US sanctions enforcement operation have been sold for scrap, ending a politically charged saga that exposed opaque Russian ownership networks while highlighting the legal and commercial complexities of disposing of sanctioned vessels
