Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, MH96960, Marshall Islands
Reg. ID
107790, Commercial Registry Number
Official reason
Azul Vista Shipping Corporation is a shell company incorporated in the Marshall Islands and which owns one vessel, the Liberia-flagged Julia A, which is managed by Monumont Ship Management. As of mid-2021, Viktor Artemov’s Ava Petroleum coordinated an oil shipment to China on the Julia A. The payment and contractual obligations for the shipment were with Ava Petroleum, with Artemov acting on behalf of the company. Similarly, the Vista Clara Shipping Corporation is incorporated in the Marshall Islands and owns one Liberia-flagged vessel, the Lara I, which is also managed by Monumont Ship Management Limited. Artemov used the Lara I to transport oil on behalf of the oil smuggling network. As of early 2022, Artemov’s Ava Petroleum paid two invoices, totaling over $3.3 million, for marine fuel for two tankers, one of which was the Lara I, which were both involved in transporting sanctioned oil and conducting illicit ship to ship transfers near Singapore.
Azul Vista Shipping Corporation and Vista Clara Shipping Corporation are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Artemov. The Julia A is being identified as blocked property in which Azul Vista Shipping Corporation has an interest, and the Lara I is being identified as blocked property in which Vista Clara Shipping Corporation has an interest.
On June 6, 2003, OFAC issued the Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 594 (68 FR 34196, June 6, 2003 (“the Regulations”), to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 of September 23, 2001, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 FR 49079, September 25, 2001). OFAC has amended the Regulations on several occasions.
On September 9, 2019, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706) (IEEPA) and the United Nations Participation Act (22 U.S.C. 287c) (UNPA), issued E.O. 13886, “Modernizing Sanctions To Combat Terrorism” (84 FR 48041, September 12, 2019), effective September 10, 2019. In E.O. 13886, the President, finding it necessary to consolidate and enhance sanctions to combat acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism by foreign terrorists, terminated the national emergency declared in E.O. 12947 of January 23, 1995, “Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process” (60 FR 5079, January 25, 1995), and revoked E.O. 12947, as amended by E.O. 13099 of August 20, 1998, “Prohibiting Transactions With Terrorists Who Threaten To Disrupt the Middle East Peace Process” (63 FR 45167, August 25, 1998). In addition, the President amended E.O. 13224, in order to build upon initial steps taken in E.O. 12947, to further strengthen and consolidate sanctions to combat the continuing threat posed by international terrorism, and in order to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in E.O. 13224, with respect to the continuing and immediate threat of grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, which include acts of terrorism that threaten the Middle East peace process.
Section 1 of E.O. 13886 replaces in its entirety section 1 of E.O. 13224, which had been amended by a number of prior Executive orders (E.O. 13224, as amended by all such authorities, is referred to herein as “amended E.O. 13224”), but does not amend the Annex to E.O. 13224, which was previously amended by E.O. 13268 of July 2, 2002, “Termination of Emergency With Respect to the Taliban and Amendment of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001” (67 FR 44751, July 3, 2002) (“amended Annex to E.O. 13224”).
