Sanctioned Sovcomflot tankers swap names and switch between Russian and Gabon flags

At least four Sovcomflot tankers have changed names and flags since the latest US sanctions, according to a Bloomberg analysis reported by The Maritime Executive. The Kemerovo, Belgorod, Kaliningrad and Krasnoyarsk have moved between the Russian and Gabon registries while using the names Columbus, Bravo, Captain and Creation. Bloomberg calculates that 21 Sovcomflot tankers have been designated by the US, 14 of them in February. The report says tonnage on Gabon's register rose from just over 1 million gross tons in 2022 to 7.4 million as of 1 April 2024, with the number of ships rising from 126 to 217.

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