US Treasury Removes Sanctions on Three Russian Cargo Ships

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has lifted sanctions on three Russian cargo ships that were on the blacklist due to their connections to the Ukraine war. This decision has raised questions regarding Washington's sanctions policy.

Among the ships removed from the list are the container feeder vessels Fesco Magadan and Fesco Moneron, operated by a subsidiary of the sanctioned PJSC DSMP, as well as the cargo ship SV Nikolay, linked to Alfa-Leasing LLC.

No Justification Provided for the Decision

The Treasury Department did not share any justification for the removal of these ships from the sanctions list.

This step, rarely seen for Russia-related vessels, drew attention especially following the recent limited sanctions exemption granted by the Trump administration for Russian oil purchases.

However, U.S. Treasury officials emphasized that the decision is limited to just three ships.

“No Change in Policy”

A Treasury Department spokesperson stated in comments to the Kyiv Independent and RFE that this move does not indicate a broad change in U.S. policy towards Russia.

The statement included the following remarks:

“Removals from the SDN List do not signify a broader shift in U.S.-Russia policy. The strength of OFAC sanctions derives not only from the authority to add to the list but also from the ability to remove from the list in a lawful manner.”

Operations Continue

According to Equasis data, there have been no recent changes in the ownership or management structure of the three ships removed from the list, and the vessels remain connected to sanctioned companies.

Fesco Magadan operates between Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Fesco Moneron operates on the same route while also serving northern settlements in the Chukotka region.

SV Nikolay conducts commercial activities between Russian-controlled ports in the Black Sea and Turkey's Samsun Port.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye