Pacific-01

A cargo of Russian oil sold by US-sanctioned energy giant Rosneft has reached Rizhao after an unusually long and circuitous journey involving an offshore STS transfer near India and a brief stop off South Korea. The 'Fortis', carrying roughly 700,000 barrels of crude, anchored off China’s Rizhao port on Dec 9, 2025, in pos. 35° 10' N 120° 31' E. All but one of the import berths at the port have been blacklisted by the USA over alleged involvement in the Iranian oil trade. The 11-week voyage underscores the uncertainty and logistical improvisation that US sanctions have injected into Russia’s global oil exports, as buyers attempt to avoid heightened scrutiny from Washington. It remains unclear whether the 'Fortis' would ultimately discharge its cargo at Rizhao. The shipment originally departed Russia on a different tanker, the 'Ailana', which picked up about 720,000 barrels in late September from Ust-Luga and then traveled through the Mediterranean and Suez Canal before idling off Mumbai for nearly two weeks, before transferring the oil to the 'Fortis', which first signaled it was heading to Kochi, then changed destination to Ningbo, and later to Yeosu, where a portion of the cargo was again transferred to another tanker. Transporting crude oil from Russia's western ports to China usually takes about two months. Still, the Rosneft shipment spent almost an extra month to reach a possible unloading location.

The 'Pacific 01' was attacked by Yemen's Houthi terrorists in the Red Sea early on July 26, 2024, but the ship's crew was unharmed. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center initially reported the ship had been struck by a missile off the port city of Hodeida but later on July 26 said that a further inspection of the vessel in daylight found no damage. The ship was continuing on its way. The private security firm Ambrey said the tanker with armed guards aboard had a near miss on July 25 off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. Tthe ship had been Israel-affiliated but changed owners in February. The tanker previously had been owned by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, which has been repeatedly targeted by the Houthis. That company is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.

The "Koro Sea" was attacked by pirates in the Singapore Strait abeam of Changi Airport on Dec 13, 2017, at 8 p.m. being under way in eastern direction en route from Saudi Arabia to Yingkou. Four pirates, armed with knives, boarded the tanker, which was in full load, and got into the engine room, where they assaulted the duty oiler. Alarm was raised, and the pirates fled with some stolen engine spare parts. The oiler was slightly injured.

The third and final Korea Line tanker 'Blue Jasper' arrested in US-Waters is approaching a court auction in Hawaii on Thursday, Minimum bid will be $42.5m, Lloyds List reports.