Info:
According to reports, Benchmark is believed to be a front company for an Iranian oil producer, which has repeatedly used fake documents “to hide the Iranian origin of the petroleum products it ships from shipping companies and port authorities in order to avoid scrutiny and detection that the cargo is being shipped by IRGC front companies”, the complaint adds, citing a confidential source.
Using ship-to-ship transfers, Iranian oil was loaded from Lubov onto Trident Liberty, and in November, transferred again onto Achillaus – the vessel subject to the US forfeiture action. The owners of Achillaus were fooled into believing the oil was of Iraqi origin after being presented with a forged bill of lading by Benchmark Ship Management, the complaint says;
Profits from oil sales support the IRGC’s full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and a variety of human rights abuses, at home and abroad;
According to the U.S. Treasury Department – Individuals and entities engaged in certain transactions involving petroleum or petroleum products from Iran or certain Iran-related persons on the SDN List should be aware that engaging in such conduct may result in designation or other sanctions under U.S. sanctions authorities unless an exception applies. Those who knowingly engage in significant transactions for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran — or knowingly provide significant support to an Iranian person on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN List), such as the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) — are at serious risk of being targeted by the United States for sanctions, regardless of the location or nationality of those engaging in such activities. Further, persons providing bunkering services to vessels transporting petroleum or petroleum products from Iran risk being subject to sanctions unless an applicable waiver or exception applies.The United States continues to take strong action to deny the Government of Iran funds derived from the illicit exportation of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran;
Industry:
Shipping Industry
Also Known As:
Benchmark Ship-management LLC
Country:
Iraq
Reason for the color:
» UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTFOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – UNITED STATES’ VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR FORFEITURE IN REM – 2 February, 2021;
» Front companies forged documents and vessel spoofing – US takes aim at Iranian oil;
» OFAC Advisory to the Maritime Petroleum Shipping Community – September 4, 2019;