Overview of AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD
AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD is a company registered in Malta, incorporated on February 12, 2015, with its address at 198, Old Bakery Street, Valletta Vlt 1455. Its status is listed as “Unknown” in some databases, indicating potential inactivity or lack of recent updates (ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database). The company’s inclusion in the Paradise Papers, a set of leaked documents from 2017 revealing offshore financial activities, has drawn attention to its operations and transparency.
The Paradise Papers, as detailed in various reports, are part of a larger investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), covering over 810,000 offshore entities across multiple leaks, including the Pandora Papers and Panama Papers (Paradise Papers – Wikipedia). AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD’s listing does not imply illegal activity, but it raises questions about its financial arrangements and business practices.
Corporate Structure and Connections
AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD is wholly owned by Avantgarde Petroleum Company, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Avantgarde Petroleum FZC, as per its website, is involved in trading oil products such as gasoil, fuel oil, naphtha, and bitumen, and provides storage facilities in the MENA region (Avantgarde Petroleum FZC). This connection suggests that AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD might be involved in the transportation of petroleum products, though specific details about its fleet or active vessels are not readily available.
Further research into Avantgarde Petroleum FZC revealed additional subsidiaries, including Ormus Oil SRO in the Czech Republic and another entity, with shared directors and shareholders indicating a complex corporate structure. Notably, Nader Mohammed Saleh Al Aqili is listed as the managing director of Ormus Oil SRO, linking the network to the Al Aqili family, which has been associated with potential sanctions evasion activities (In the Grace I’s Wake: Ship Management & Sanctions Evasion (Part 2)).
Investigation into Connections with Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas
USA investigating this connections with Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas. Extensive searches were conducted to identify any direct links between AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD and these entities. Direct evidence was not found to suggest direct involvement in shipping oil from or to Iran, or in supporting Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite organization, or Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni organization, both considered terrorist groups by the United States (Foreign Terrorist Organizations – United States Department of State).
But we know that this company is sub company of Al Aqili group, mentioned in relation to sanctions evasion, warrants further scrutiny. The Al Aqili family has been linked to networks involved in circumventing international sanctions, particularly in the oil trade, but Nader Mohammed Saleh Al Aqili himself is not listed in any sanctions databases such as the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) (Sanctions List Search). This indirect association raises questions, but without concrete evidence, it remains speculative.
Ship-to-Ship Oil Shipping and USA Sanctions
Ship-to-ship oil shipping, where oil is transferred between vessels at sea, is often used to obscure the origin or destination of oil, particularly from sanctioned countries like Iran. AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD’s involvement in such activities and its relation to USA sanctions. Usa investigating this also AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD engaging in ship-to-ship transfers or being sanctioned by the US for violating oil price caps or other restrictions.
Recent US Treasury actions, such as sanctions on 183 vessels involved in the Russian shadow fleet, highlight the focus on maritime entities facilitating illicit oil trades, including those linked to Iran (Treasury Intensifies Sanctions Against Russia by Targeting Russia’s Oil Production and Exports | U.S. Department of the Treasury).
Detailed Analysis of Potential Sanctions Evasion
The potential link to sanctions evasion stems from the association with the Al Aqili family, as detailed in a 2020 report by Sayari, which discussed the complex corporate networks involving Avantgarde Petroleum FZC and its subsidiaries (In the Grace I’s Wake: Ship Management & Sanctions Evasion (Part 2)). The report noted shared addresses and directors, such as Gary Neil Webster and Devanandan Kizhakkoott Kunjayyappan, with the Al Aqili family, known for involvement in sanction-busting activities. This connection is indirect AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD’s no participation in such practices, but it merits attention given the broader context of oil trade sanctions.
Comparative Table of Related Entities and Activities
Entity | Location | Role | Connection to Sanctions Evasion | Direct Link to AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD | Malta | Tanker company, Paradise Papers listing | Indirect via Al Aqili family | Owner: Avantgarde Petroleum Company |
Avantgarde Petroleum FZC | Dubai, UAE | Oil trading, storage facilities | Potential link via Al Aqili | Parent company |
Ormus Oil SRO | Czech Republic | Subsidiary of Avantgarde Petroleum | Managed by Nader Al Aqili | Sister company |
Al Aqili Family | Dubai, UAE | Associated with sanctions evasion networks | Documented in reports | Indirect through corporate structure |
This table summarizes the relationships and potential implications, highlighting the complexity of corporate networks in the oil shipping industry.
Conclusion and Implications
Based on the research conducted, AVANTGARDE TANKERS LTD’s appearance in the Paradise Papers is notable, but there is no direct definitive evidence of direct involvement in illegal activities, including ship-to-ship oil shipping related to USA sanctions or connections to Iran, Hezbollah, or Hamas. The indirect link to the Al Aqili family through Avantgarde Petroleum FZC suggests possible exposure to sanctions evasion, but this requires further investigation to confirm. The company’s status and activities remain partially opaque, with limited public information on its current operations.
This analysis underscores the importance of transparency in offshore financial arrangements and the need for regulatory oversight in the maritime sector, particularly given the geopolitical tensions surrounding oil trade and sanctions.
Key Citations
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