IMO 9617454
The vessel ESSIEN was selected as Vessel Spotlight due to its ranking of #21 among 3,189 monitored vessels, with key metrics over the past 90 days including 26 STS proximity events, 1,389 hours of loitering, and 1,392 hours of zone dwelling. The top operating zones included the Atlantic Midway Monitoring Zone with 847 events and the Central Mediterranean Sanctions Monitoring Zone with 153 events. The vessel was detected in the vicinity of terminal zones, but no direct terminal visits were recorded during this period. These metrics are based on AIS-derived behavioral indicators.
Vessel information
Movement & AIS Track
The vessel ESSIEN was detected in the Atlantic Midway Monitoring Zone (847 events), primarily exhibiting zone dwell (424 events) and loitering behavior (423 events). Additionally, it was detected in the Central Mediterranean Sanctions Monitoring Zone (153 events), with zone dwell (56 events), loitering (54 events), and STS proximity events (43 events). The vessel was detected in the vicinity of terminal zones, though no direct terminal visits were recorded during this period.
| Zone | Events | Types | First Seen | Last Seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Midway Monitoring Zone | 847 | zone_dwell: 424, loiter: 423 | Jul 11, 2026 | Aug 1, 2026 |
| Central Mediterranean Sanctions Monitoring Zone | 153 | zone_dwell: 56, loiter: 54, sts: 43 | Aug 1, 2026 | Aug 19, 2026 |
STS Proximity Partners
The vessel ESSIEN recorded a total of 26 STS proximity detections involving three distinct partner vessels. The most frequent partners detected in proximity were GREAT MANTA, with 18 events, and ATLANTIC NARVAL, with 13 events. All partner vessels were not sanctioned.
Ownership & Management
Ocean Ark Shipping Ltd appears to be a Singapore-linked vessel owning/management company associated with the tanker MT ESSIEN. Public court records identify Ocean Ark as the owner of ESSIEN, while Reuters and court reporting indicate the vessel was being used in a South African coastwise fuel transport arrangement with Astron Energy.[2][6]
⚠ Red Flags
- Vessel ESSIEN was detained and seized by South African Revenue Service in a customs/value-added tax dispute.[2][6]
- Company address is shared with Stamford Ship Management Pte Ltd, indicating use of a third-party maritime services office.[11][12]
- Only one vessel is clearly identifiable from the available sources, limiting fleet transparency.[2][7]
Synergy Denmark A/S is a Danish ship management company based in Copenhagen, with activity in sea and coastal freight transport. Public sources indicate it is part of Synergy Marine Group’s Copenhagen presence and has been used to manage Liberia-flagged vessels.
⚠ Red Flags
- Address shared by multiple maritime/group entities
- Fleet association is with managed vessels rather than clearly owned vessels
- No IMO numbers verified for the named vessels in the gathered material
Stamford Ship Management Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore-based ship management and ship owning / asset management firm. Public sources describe it as a commercial manager and a fund-management regulated entity, with activities spanning dry bulk and tanker shipping.[1][2][3]
⚠ Red Flags
- Registered at a shared commercial address used by multiple Stamford-related maritime entities.
- Public vessel-level ownership/management details are limited in the available sources.
- Fleet composition is only partially identifiable from the sources gathered.
Media Mentions
- ESSIEN (IMO 9617454), Oil Products Tanker | Position & specsMarineTraffic
- Crude Oil Tanker, IMO 9617454 - essien - VesselFinderVesselFinder
- Essien, IMO 9617454, MMSI 563180400 | MR2 TNKR | VesselsValueVesselsValue
- Essien - Tankship, IMO 9617454, MMSI 563180400VesselTracker
- ESSIEN Tanker Ship - IMO 9617454 / MMSI 563180400MagicPort
- in the high court of south africa - SARSSouth African Revenue Service / High Court of South Africa
- 2025-209746 In the matter betwSouth African Revenue Service / High Court of South Africa
Classification & Safety
Disclaimer
This vessel profile is compiled from publicly available information sources including maritime databases, government sanctions lists, and AIS position data. Information may be incomplete, delayed, or contain inaccuracies.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or compliance advice. FleetLeaks makes no warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information presented. Users should independently verify all information before making decisions.
Data Scope & Currency
This dossier reflects automated analysis of publicly available data sources as of August 21, 2026 (UTC). FleetLeaks does not assert intent or wrongdoing. Observations are derived from AIS behavioral signals, registry records, and other open sources, each subject to inherent latency and reporting limitations.
Data Refresh
This dossier can be re-generated using the same automated pipeline with the most current available data. A refresh re-executes the standard selection, enrichment, and analysis process and does not alter methodology or thresholds. To request a refreshed version of this dossier, please contact us. A nominal fee may apply to cover compute and data access costs.
Generated: 2026-08-21T10:02:21.139552Z