18/09/2025
Sanctioned Russian Oil Tanker Offloads Cargo at Mundra Port Despite Adani Group Ban
News Tanks | Mumbai/Mundra
In a move raising eyebrows across the shipping and energy sectors, a Russian crude-laden tanker under Western sanctions successfully discharged its cargo at Gujarat’s Mundra Port, even though the Adani Group had recently imposed a ban on such vessels at all its terminals.
According to Reuters, ship-tracking data from LSEG and Kpler confirmed that the Suezmax tanker Spartan unloaded nearly 1 million barrels of Urals crude oil at the Hindustan Petroleum-Mittal Energy Ltd. (HMEL) terminal.
Maritime records reveal that Spartan previously operated under the name SCF Samotlor—a vessel that has been blacklisted by both the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) for violating restrictions on transporting Russian oil.
Equasis data further shows that the ship is currently owned by Citrine Marine and managed by Dubai-based Nova Shipmanagement.
What makes the development particularly significant is that just weeks ago, Adani Ports & SEZ announced a sweeping directive: vessels sanctioned by the EU, UK, or the US would not be permitted entry into any of its 14 ports, including Mundra. Despite this announcement, the Spartan managed direct access to Mundra and completed its unloading operation without incident.
Mundra Port, India’s largest container hub, is also a major gateway for crude imports handled by refiners such as HMEL and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). The arrival of the sanctioned vessel is expected to trigger scrutiny from both domestic regulators and international observers, given India’s growing crude imports from Russia post-2022 sanctions.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that another blacklisted vessel has diverted to Vadinar port, further highlighting the complexities of enforcing sanctions in the global oil trade.
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