Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s largest private port operator, will not allow shipping vessels sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), European Union and the UK to dock at its ports.

APSEZ operates 14 ports and terminals accounting for roughly 24 per cent of India’s cumulative port capacity.

Sources said that the Adani Group has issued advisories to its clients over not accepting sanctioned vessels. The sanctioned vessels will not be allowed entry or birthing or use of any service or facility at the port.

Adani Group did not comment on the development.

Advisory issued

“They (Adani) sent an advisory that said that they need to adhere to international sanctions, laws and compliance frameworks. This is being done to protect the port’s legal and commercial interests,” said one of the sources.

Besides, ship owners, charterers, consignees, etc will be responsible for doing the due diligence and screening of the vessels prior to hiring them. Also, the vessel’s agent will have to give a written undertaking that the ship is not sanctioned, the same source explained.

The issue assumes importance as the US and EU have recently sanctioned several vessels that were plying as dark fleets supplying crude oil, refined petroleum products, coal, etc from Russia and Iran.

Russian oil

Russian oil is largely supplied via dark or shadow fleets that bypass sanctions. This may lead to supply issues for India, which is Russia’s largest seaborne crude oil buyer procuring 1.6-1.8 million barrels per day (mb/d).

The US Department of Treasury in a January 10, 2025 press release said “ Russia’s dependence on opaque traders willing to ship and sell its oil has dramatically increased. These traders often are registered in high-risk jurisdictions, have murky corporate structures and personnel with links to Russia, and conceal their business activities. Many were only established in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and quickly began moving hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Russian oil within months of their creation.”

Published on September 11, 2025