Venezuelan VLCC tanker suddenly turned into Russian

MaritimeBulletin.net ^

[ameribbean expat]

Venezuelan VLCC tanker AYACUCHO, changed flag early May this year, finding rather unusual substitute, now she’s registered under Russian flag and got a Russian name MAKSIM GORKY, though understood, she’s still operated by Venezuelan interests. All of sudden, this news hits today Russian top headlines, and a number of Russian mainstream outlets already called me, asking for interview. Russia has two Registers, one being International Russian Register, open for non-resident foreign companies. Venezuelan VLCC was registered in this second register, so for all purposes, VLCC may be considered registered under a FOC. What’s the purpose of it? I guess, it’s mainly the question of security, to avoid US sanctions and probably, seizure. Russian flag may provide such protection, or may not, who knows. The feeling is, many States including rogue ones, believe the US to be much weaker than it was even 6 months ago, and justly so, thanks to Dems, BLM, “pandemic” sabotage, and general turmoil. Tanker is presently, in South Atlantic, sailing in southeast direction, and marked as “Waiting for Orders”. She left Venezuela in early September, probably in load.

Crude oil tanker MAKSIM GORKY (ex-Ayacucho), IMO 9590008, dwt 320840, built 2013, flag Russia, manager ?

[EvilCapitalist]

Transtanker?

[Jonty30]

Honestly, what is left to be taken?

[Chode]

can the Russians refine that sludge???

[Cold Heart]

During the Viet Nam war, a US flag, Greek owned, cargo freighter was told to change her name while at sea. Seemed the ship owed a lot money to ports and wages to sailors.

[SunkenCiv]

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[GOPJ]

Russian flag may provide such protection, or may not, who knows. The feeling is, many States including rogue ones, believe the US to be much weaker than it was even 6 months ago, and justly so, thanks to Dems, BLM, “pandemic” sabotage, and general turmoil. Tanker is presently, in South Atlantic, sailing in southeast direction, and marked as “Waiting for Orders”. She left Venezuela in early September, probably in load.

It could be a change based on insurance or international law. Lots of our ships sail under other flags... allowing them to avoid taxes and regulations. Flag of convenience From Wikipedia,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_convenience

This article is about merchant shipping. For the general business strategy, see Flag of convenience (business). For the band, see Flag of Convenience (band). MOL Pride, owned and operated by the Japanese company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, flying the flag of Liberia and home-ported in its capital, Monrovia.[1] Flag of convenience (FOC) is a business practice whereby a ship's owners register a merchant ship in a ship register of a country other than that of the ship's owners, and the ship flies the civil ensign of that country, called the flag state.[2] The term is often used pejoratively, and although common, the practice is sometimes regarded as contentious. Each merchant ship is required by international law to be registered in a registry created by a country,[3] and a ship is subject to the laws of that country, which are used also if the ship is involved in a case under admiralty law. A ship's owners may elect to register a ship in a foreign country which enables it to avoid the regulations of the owners’ country which may, for example, have stricter safety standards. They may also select a jurisdiction to reduce operating costs, avoiding higher taxes in the owners’ country and bypassing laws that protect the wages and working conditions of mariners.[4] The term "flag of convenience" has been used since the 1950s.

[dfwgator]

“You must learn to think in Russian.”