A US court sentenced Captain of the tanker Marinera (Bella 1) and…
A US court sentenced Captain of the tanker Marinera (Bella 1) and citizen of Georgia Avtandil Kalandadze to 10 months in prison followed by deportation.
Consensus
- The U.S. federal court sentenced Avtandil Kalandadze to 10 months in prison with subsequent deportation.
- Kalandadze was the captain of the tanker Bella 1 (later renamed Marinera) from September to December 2025.
- The U.S. Coast Guard attempted to stop the vessel during a two-week pursuit in the Atlantic Ocean.
- The tanker did not comply with the U.S. Coast Guard's order to stop and continued moving.
- The vessel changed its name from Bella 1 to Marinera during the pursuit.
- The vessel was registered under the Russian flag after the pursuit began.
- Kalandadze pleaded guilty in June to failing to comply with the U.S. Coast Guard’s stop order.
- The U.S. government alleged the vessel transported approximately 1.8 million barrels of Iranian oil.
- The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a boarding operation on January 7, 2026, in the North Atlantic.
- The vessel was taken into U.S. custody and later transferred to Scotland.
- The U.S. government claimed the vessel used deactivation of AIS and concealment of its name to hide operations.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia criticized the U.S. action as a 'seizure' and a violation of international law.
Points of divergence
- The Russian Ministry of Transport issued temporary sailing authorization for the vessel under the Russian flag on December 24, 2025. — tg_echoonline_news
- The Russian flag was painted on the vessel's hull during the pursuit in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Russian Ministry of Transport issued the registration only after the vessel was seized on January 7, 2026. — tg_istories_media
- U.S. military personnel boarded the vessel in January 2026 and took control of it in the North Atlantic. — fontanka
- The Russian registration of the vessel was questionable and occurred during the voyage, raising doubts about its legitimacy. — tg_theinsider
- The U.S. prosecution alleged that Kalandadze transported 1.8 million barrels of Iranian crude oil to Asian countries. — tg_radiosvoboda
- The U.S. imposed sanctions in 2024 on the registered owner of the vessel, Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises, for transporting goods linked to Hezbollah. — tg_istories_media
- Two Russian crew members were released in late January and returned to Russia. — fontanka
- The vessel was linked to the transfer of Iranian oil and sanctioned cargo in favor of Hezbollah. — tg_echoonline_news
- The vessel belonged to the company 'Burевестмарин,' owned by Ilya Bugay, a businessman from the annexed Crimea. — tg_istories_media
- The wife of the captain attempted to prevent his extradition through the Scottish court. — fontanka
Coverage (6 sources)
- US Court Sentences Captain of Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker to 10 Months in Prison — ЭХО / Новости
- US Court Sentenced Marinera Tanker Captain to 10 Months in Prison — Радио Свобода
- In the US, a captain of a tanker seized in the middle of the Atlantic was sentenced — Фонтанка
- US Court Sentenced Marinera Tanker Captain to 10 Months in Prison — Настоящее Время
- US Court Sentences Shadow Fleet Tanker Captain Marinera to 10 Months in Prison. Before Detention, Russia Urgently Issued the Vessel's Registration — Важные истории
- Captain of a 'shadow fleet' tanker in the US sentenced to 10 months in prison followed by deportation — The Insider