By Jeffrey A. Newman Esq.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned 29 vessels and their management companies for assisting Iran in evading U.S. oil sanctions through deceptive shipping practices. Information on anyone within the US that does business with any of these entities and persons may lead to civil or criminal sanctions including a False Claims Act whistleblower case yielding substantial awards for the whistleblowers.
Treasury also designated several shipping companies for operating in Iran’s petroleum sector in violation of U.S. sanctions authorities, including firms based in the United Arab Emirates, Panama, India, and the Marshall Islands. According to OFAC, some of the vessels made port calls to Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen, while others conducted ship-to-ship transfers in the Persian Gulf to conceal the origin of Iranian petroleum. The sanctions also target Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr, an Egyptian businessman based in the United Arab Emirates, whom Treasury described as a key foreign enabler of Iranian petroleum exports.
OFAC said Sakr owns and operates multiple shipping and petroleum-related companies that were linked to seven of the sanctioned vessels. Treasury stated that Sakr’s firms were associated with petroleum shipments coordinated with Iranian military-associated front companies.
What this means is that all property and interests in property of the designated vessels, companies, and individuals that are within U.S. jurisdiction or under the control of U.S. persons are blocked. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions involving sanctioned entities without authorization from OFAC. Violations could give rise to whistleblower lawsuits for anyone with unique and specific information about persons in the U.S. who are doing business with any of the sanctioned entities. The False Claims Act(FCA) allows for major awards for the whistleblowers for revealing this information through an attorney in the manner required by the FCA.
The action includes vessels used to transport Iranian crude oil and a variety of Iranian petroleum products, including fuel oil, bitumen, naphtha, and condensate. These vessels are owned and operated by a group of companies that operate out of various jurisdictions and are largely established for the sole purpose of owning and managing their respective vessels. The following vessels are linked to years of Iranian petroleum shipments, including significant volumes in 2025:
- The Palau-flagged NEBULA DRIFT (IMO 9233973) and AETHER SAIL (IMO 9277371), and the Panama-flagged TIDAL RHYTHM (IMO 9297101) and VOYAGER HAVEN (IMO 9271896), all managed and operated by United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Phoenix Ship Management FZE, have transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian petroleum products in 2025, including condensate, bitumen, and naphtha.
- The Palau-flagged ARIHANT (IMO 9464156), owned, operated, and managed by Panama-based Arihant Shipping Inc., has transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian fuel oil and bitumen within the Persian Gulf since July 2025.
- The Palau-flagged KURDOS (IMO 9236731), KURDOS II (IMO 9453729) and KURDOS III (IMO 9380570), all owned, operated, and managed by Panama-based Kurdos Shipping Inc., have transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian fuel oil and bitumen within the Persian Gulf since early 2025.
- The Panama-flagged KASSIA (IMO 9409986), owned and operated by Marshall Islands-registered Adonis Shipping Inc, has transported over two dozen shipments of Iranian petroleum products, including fuel oil, since 2024.
- The Cook Islands-flagged MAJESTY (IMO 9430715), owned by Marshall Islands-registered Concord Shipping Inc., has transported nearly a dozen shipments of Iranian petroleum products since early 2025.
- The Barbados-flagged FLORA DOLCE (IMO 9258595), owned and managed by India-based Rukbat Marine Services Co, has transported millions of barrels of Iranian fuel oil since April 2025.
- The Jamaica-flagged DIANA (IMO 9255945), owned and operated by British Virgin Islands-based Aleah Shipping Inc, has transported millions of barrels of Iranian fuel oil since May 2025.
- The Cook Islands-flagged J M A (IMO 9246487), owned and operated by Panama-based J M A Shipping Inc., has transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian fuel oil since August 2021.
- The Cook Islands-flagged S M A (IMO 9273002), owned and operated by Panama-based S M A Shipping Inc., has transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian bitumen since June 2021.
- The Cook Islands-flagged M K A (IMO 9269403), owned, operated, and managed by Marshall Islands-registered M K A Shipping Inc, has transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian bitumen, fuel oil, and naphtha since January 2024. M K A has previously transported naphtha and gasoil that originated from Russia. M K A was previously operated and managed by the sanctioned Indo Gulf Ship Management LLC while it transported Iranian oil.
- The Panama-flagged AUROURA (IMO 9262912), owned and operated by India-based Golden Gate Ship Management, has transported millions of barrels of Iranian petroleum products, including naphtha and condensate.
- The Barbados-flagged RAMYA (IMO 9363182), operated and managed by India-based Darya Shipping Private Limited, has transported more than a hundred thousand barrels of Iranian petroleum products, including naphtha, since September 2025.
- The Panama-flagged FOSHAN (IMO 9404572), owned and operated by Marshall Islands-registered Sinostar Marine Group Limited, has transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian fuel oil and lubricants since June 2025.
- The Palau-flagged HEMERA (IMO 9263954), owned and operated by Marshall Islands-registered Hemera Lines Inc., has transported more than 150,000 barrels of bitumen since February 2025.
- The Panama-flagged NOMIKI (IMO 9242443), owned and managed by Marshall Islands-registered Agape Shipping Inc, has transported millions of barrels of Iranian fuel oil in 2025.
- The Cook Islands-flagged MARUTI (IMO 9546710), owned and operated by Marshall Islands-registered Maruti Shipping Inc., has transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian naphtha in 2025.
- The unknown-flagged GOLDEN EAGLE(IMO 9255684), owned and operated by Liberia-based Everest Sea Navigation SA, has transported millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil in 2025.
The following companies are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy:
- Phoenix Ship Management FZE;
- Arihant Shipping Inc.;
- Kurdos Shipping Inc.;
- Adonis Shipping Inc;
- Concord Shipping Inc.;
- Rukbat Marine Services Co;
- Aleah Shipping Inc;
- J M A Shipping Inc.;
- S M A Shipping Inc.;
- M K A Shipping Inc;
- Golden Gate Ship Management;
- Darya Shipping Private Limited;
- Sinostar Marine Group Limited;
- Hemera Lines Inc.;
- Agape Shipping Inc;
- Maruti Shipping Inc.; and
- Everest Sea Navigation SA
The following vessels are being identified as blocked property of the previously identified blocked persons:
- NEBULA DRIFT, AETHER SAIL, TIDAL RHYTHM and VOYAGER HAVEN (Phoenix Ship Management FZE);
- ARIHANT (Arihant Shipping Inc.);
- KURDOS, KURDOS II, and KURDOS III (Kurdos Shipping Inc).;
- KASSIA (Adonis Shipping Inc);
- MAJESTY (Concord Shipping Inc.);
- FLORA DOLCE (Rukbat Marine Services Co);
- DIANA (Aleah Shipping Inc);
- J M A (J M A Shipping Inc.);
- S M A (S M A Shipping Inc.);
- M K A (M K A Shipping Inc);
- AUROURA (Golden Gate Ship Management);
- RAMYA (Darya Shipping Private Limited);
- FOSHAN (Sinostar Marine Group Limited);
- HEMERA (Hemera Lines Inc.);
- NOMIKI (Agape Shipping Inc);
- MARUTI (Maruti Shipping Inc.); and
- GOLDEN EAGLE (Everest Sea Navigation SA).
egyptian ENABLER OF IRANIAN PETROLEUM EXPORTS
UAE-based Egyptian shipping businessman Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr (Sakr) owns and operates multiple companies, including UAE-based Red Sea Ship Management LLC and High Seas Petroleum LLC, formerly known as Petrofleet Energy Trading LLC, that have been responsible for transporting large quantities of Iranian petroleum products in the Persian Gulf region, including in coordination with Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics-associated front company Sahara Thunder. Red Sea Ship Management LLC manages and operates the Palau-flagged products tankers SKYLIGHT (IMO 9330020), KHADIGA (IMO 9321469), and INTAN PREMIER (IMO 9358802), each of which have transported Iranian petroleum products such as naphtha, bitumen, and fuel oil. The SKYLIGHT, previously known as the AL MOUSTAFA, was acquired by Sakr in June 2023. Immediately after acquiring the vessel, the SKYLIGHT was used for a ship-to-ship transfer of Iranian condensate in the interest of Sahara Thunder.
Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. Red Sea Ship Management LLC and High Seas Petroleum LLC are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr. SKYLIGHT, KHADIGA, and INTAN PREMIER are being identified as blocked property in which Red Sea Ship Management LLC has an interest.
Sakr’s companies transferred management of several vessels to UAE-based Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management L.L.C (Qatrat Alnada), including at least three vessels that have transported Iranian petroleum products. Qatrat Alnada’s vessels, including the Palau-flagged SEA WISE (IMO 9224570), SEAMULL (IMO 9204776), and SEA ROCK (IMO 9140451), have each transported Iranian petroleum products, including naphtha and gasoil, on multiple occasions. Qatrat Alnada also operates and manages the Palau-flagged tanker SEA CITRINE VI (IMO 9207273). All four vessels have made port calls to Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen.
Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management L.L.C is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the petroleum sector of the Iranian economy. SEA WISE, SEAMULL, SEA ROCK, and SEA CITRINE VI are being identified as blocked property in which Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management L.L.C has an interest.
If you have any information about anyone in the US or its jurisdictions that are doing business with the sanctioned entities, you may have the right to file a whistleblower case.
Jeffrey Newman is a whistleblower lawyer, whose law firm represents whistleblowers revealing violations of export controls, tariff evasions, money laundering, healthcare fraud and other kinds of WB cases. The firm represents individuals both in the United States and other countries. Mr. Newman and his firm also represent physicians and other healthcare providers who become whistleblowers in healthcare fraud cases. Whistleblower laws in the U.S. allow individuals anywhere with information about export control violations or tariff fraud to reveal the information under The False Claims act or through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Whistleblower Program. The Firm’s website is at www.JeffNewmanLaw.com and attorney Newman can be reached at Jeff@Jeffnewmanlaw.com or at 978-880-4758
