Tbilisi (GBC) - “The Panama-flagged vessel KAYSERI was at the Kulevi Marine Terminal on 6–7 October 2025. The vessel is not under international sanctions and does not appear on any list of companies associated with sanctioned entities,” the Georgian Maritime Transport Agency said in a statement.
The response follows a Reuters report claiming that on October 6, the tanker KAYSERI delivered 105,340 metric tons of Siberian Light oil grade from the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk to the Kulevi Oil Terminal.
“All companies within the vessel’s ownership and management chain, as well as its insurance and classification society, fully comply with applicable international norms and regulations and are not subject to international sanctions.
Accordingly, in order to conduct subsequent customs control procedures, the cargo was discharged into a temporary customs storage warehouse.
The vessel operates on international routes, including ports in Asia and the Middle East, and its activities are fully consistent with international maritime practice and trade regulations.
The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia once again confirms that entry of vessels into all Georgian ports is strictly controlled in full compliance with international law and national legislation.
Georgian ports are not used—by any party, including third countries—to evade international sanctions.
The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance and the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia jointly and continuously monitor and verify vessels and shipowners in relation to international sanctions.
If a vessel or its owner is found on a sanctions list, it is denied entry to Georgian ports and is not permitted to undergo customs procedures,” the Maritime Transport Agency stated.
The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance also issued a separate statement confirming that the ship, its owner, and the companies sending and receiving the cargo have passed sanctions screening.
“On October 2, the Panamanian-flagged tanker KAYSERI entered the port of Kulevi from a Russian Federation port, carrying up to 10,000 tons of crude oil intended for import customs procedures. The cargo was shipped by a Russian company, whose name is not disclosed due to tax secrecy regulations.
The inspection confirmed that neither the vessel nor its owner, nor the companies sending or receiving the cargo, are subject to international sanctions. Following the inspection, the cargo was unloaded into a temporary storage customs warehouse for further customs control procedures.
The Revenue Service and the Maritime Transport Agency continuously monitor ships and shipowners for compliance with international sanctions. Any vessel or owner listed under sanctions is denied entry to Georgian ports and barred from undergoing customs procedures.
We declare with full responsibility that the information disseminated serves to mislead the public,” the Revenue Service stated.