Sovcomflot moves dozens of tankers to Gabon flag, Splash247 reports

Russian state shipping company Sovcomflot is moving about 50 tankers from the Liberian register to Gabon's, Splash247 reports, with some 46 having completed the switch by 11 January. Gabon's registry grew by 130.6% in 2023, making it the world's fastest-growing flag. Citing Craig Kennedy's Navigating Russia newsletter, the outlet says Liberia and the Marshall Islands, the usual registries, are under pressure from the US Treasury's sanctions office, leaving Gabon as the preferred alternative. Ships already under the Gabon flag include the Pablo, a 1997-built aframax that Splash247 describes as uninsured and as having carried Iranian oil; an explosion on board in Malaysian waters in May 2023 killed three crew.

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