US sells two seized Russian-flagged tankers for scrap in India

The US government has sold two Russian-flagged tankers it seized in January to Dubai-based ship recycler Global Marketing Systems for demolition in India, MarineLink reports, citing Reuters and Lloyd's List. The ships are the Era, formerly Marinera and Bella 1, which was captured south of Iceland after slipping a US blockade in the Caribbean, and the Lileo, formerly Galileo and Veronica, seized in the Caribbean. Washington alleged the vessels carried sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil or were subject to Russia sanctions. The price was not disclosed. GMS chief executive Anil Sharma said a court order authorised the sales but that "there are complexities".

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