Elephant

The 'Nero', controlled by the Russian Sovcomflot, passed the Strait of Hormuz in loaded condition on the morning of April 20, 2026, enroute from The Persian Gulf, but only 60 miles away from the Strait of Hormuz. At around 4 p.m., the tanker slowed down and stopped, being the only one to transit the strait that day, being headed to Korfakkan. The tanker is under sanctions of the EU and UK for oil transportation from Russia. Initially, the vessel was directly owned by the Russian Sovcomflot. However, after the imposition of sanctions against Russia, it then came under the control of its enterprises, and since Oct 2025, it had an unknown owner. It was deemed likely that the tanker came under the inspection of the US Navy, which has staged a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent the transportation of goods from Iranian ports. Prior to that, it crossed the strait through the territorial waters of Iran, which may indicate the coordination of the passage with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The 'Elephant', which was detained for a week in Ferrol in February after the Spanish authorities investigated a ship-to-ship transfer linked to a former Russian-flag tanker has returned to the Russian oil export terminal in Ust-Luga for the first time in five months on March 12. The tanker loaded 720,000 barrels of Urals crude at the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga and sailed on March 13, headed to Port Said with an ETA as of March 31.

Indian coast guard professionally undertook one more life saving operation by evacuating two Chinese nationals from a Singapore registered vessel mt ocean crown, at high seas, off Mumbai. The 245 meters long vessel was on passage from Sikka / India to Port Sao Bastiao / Brazil. at about 2145 hrs on 18 July 14, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai {mrcc (mb)} received a request from master of the vessel to evacuate two Chinese national from the ship, as the crew had sustained accidental injury onboard, while working on the deck. It was informed that the crew was provided first aid, but injuries sustained required immediate specialized medical attention. On ascertaining the medical emergency onboard the vessel, the vessel was directed to close Mumbai, being the nearest port for providing specialized medical assistance. Meanwhile, Indian coast guard ship Varuna on patrol in eez was diverted to render medical advice/assistance, while Chetak helicopter at Mumbai was kept standby for evacuation of crew by air. The vessel with medical emergency arrived about 30 km west off Mumbai, at about 1600 hrs on 19 July 14. The Indian coast guard helicopter cg 821 was immediately pressed into action and helicopter landed onboard the ship at 1600 hrs, with medical team for medical management of the injured crew. Medical team examined the patient and provided necessary on site treatment to facilitate transit by air.