Another Dubai shipmanager has emerged for European politicians to investigate and target when further Russia sanctions are discussed.
In February, the European Union put sanctions on Sun Ship Management, the Dubai-based manager of the Sovcomflot fleet.
However, another Russian front company has emerged in Dubai with links to Sovcomflot.
K&O Ship Management, based on the seventh floor of Sheikh Rashid Tower in the Dubai World Trade Center, manages 10 vessels, the majority of which are owned by Hong Kong entities. VesselsValue lists the K&O fleet as made up of eight tankers and two bulk carriers. All ships are flagged with the Panama registry. All the ships have in recent months switched class to join the Indian Register of Shipping, the classification society with the largest market share of the so-called dark fleet.
The company’s fleet manager is Captain Evgeny Chubenko, whose LinkedIn profile shows he is also currently fleet manager for Sovcomflot, based in Novorossiyk.
Another Limassol employee of K&O checked by Splash is seen clearly wearing Sovcomflot uniform in various pictures on social media.
To keep exports flowing as sanctions rained in following the invasion of Ukraine 16 months ago, Russia has established a vast network of shell companies across the Middle East and Asia.
The latest sanctions from the European Union, announced last week, will see a ban on port calls for ships who are caught carrying out ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of suspected Russian oil in European waters.
