Russian shipowners sanctioned

OFAC says two ship-to-ship transfers of oil were made to North Korean-flagged vessels.    The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has placed sanctions on two more Russian shipowners and their vessels for violating United Nations and U.S. trade sanctions against North Korea. 
   Specifically, OFAC said the Russian shipowners were involved in ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum products with North Korea-flagged ships, which is prohibited by the U.N. Security Council. 
   OFAC designated Vladivostok, Russia-based shipping companies Primorye Maritime Logistics Co. Ltd. and Gudzon Shipping Co., the registered shipowners and managers of the Russian-flagged ship Patriot.  
   According to the agency, earlier this year the Patriot conducted two ship-to-ship transfers of oil for the benefit of North Korea, including 1,500 tons of oil to the Chong Rim 2 and 2,000 tons of oil to the Chon Ma San, both sanctioned North Korean-flagged vessels. The ultimate buyer of the oil was U.N.- and U.S.-designated Taesong Bank, a sanctioned North Korean entity. 
   OFAC identified five additional Russian-flagged vessels in which Gudzon has interest: Neptun, Bella, Bogatyr, Partizan and Sevastopol.