KMG International, the group that operates Rompetrol and the Petromidia refinery, has issued an official statement following information published by NewsCenter.ro regarding the tanker Safeen Elona, a vessel included by Ukrainian authorities in databases monitoring the so-called “shadow fleet” allegedly used to transport Russian oil and petroleum products.
The company’s response comes after NewsCenter.ro presented information concerning the vessel’s commercial links and after SpotMedia reported that one of the hypotheses being examined in connection with the recent incidents near the Romanian coastline and the Port of Constanța involved the Safeen Elona tanker itself.
In the statement sent to the newsroom, KMG International argues that both the vessel and its owners and operators comply with all international compliance requirements and are not listed under sanctions regimes applicable in the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland.
NewsCenter.ro’s report
The issue attracted public attention after NewsCenter.ro published information showing that the Safeen Elona tanker was involved in crude oil deliveries to Petromidia and that the vessel appears in the database maintained by Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence, which monitors ships considered to be involved in supporting the Russian Federation’s energy exports.
The article published by NewsCenter.ro also detailed the vessel’s ownership structure, noting that it is owned by Safeen Tankers 22 LTD and operated through international maritime companies.
The report drew attention because Safeen Elona had recently been operating between the Russian port of Novorossiysk and the oil terminal at Midia Năvodari, where the Petromidia refinery is located.
Rompetrol: the vessel is not sanctioned. The shadow fleet is a list compiled by Ukraine
According to the company, compliance with international sanctions regimes is one of the fundamental principles governing the group’s activities.
“With regard to the Safeen Elona vessel, it is important to note that it does not appear on any relevant international sanctions list issued by and applicable in the European Union, the United States of America (OFAC), the United Kingdom, Switzerland, etc.,” KMG International stated.
The company further emphasized that the vessel was screened before being accepted for operations, just like all other ships used in the group’s logistics and supply activities.
The Safeen Elona case highlights an important distinction between the concept of a “shadow fleet” and official sanctions lists. Many vessels included in Ukrainian databases are not officially sanctioned by the European Union, the United States, or the United Kingdom. They are monitored because Ukrainian authorities believe they participate in transportation activities that support Russia’s energy exports.
Therefore, the mere inclusion of a vessel in such databases does not automatically mean that it is internationally sanctioned or that European companies are prohibited from using it.
This is also the central argument advanced by KMG International, which stresses that Safeen Elona does not appear on any official sanctions list and that all compliance checks were completed before the vessel was used.
Petromidia: the main processor of Kazakh crude oil
In its statement, the company also reminded readers that the Petromidia refinery primarily processes crude oil originating from Kazakhstan, which is the main supplier of feedstock for Romania’s refining sector.
According to Rompetrol, more than 60% of Romania’s refining needs are covered by Kazakh crude oil. Depending on market conditions and availability, Petromidia also processes crude oil from Azerbaijan, Libya, and Guyana.
The company maintains that all shipments are accompanied by origin and compliance documentation made available to Romanian and European authorities.
KMG International also states that all documentation related to the cargo transported by Safeen Elona, including documents confirming the cargo’s origin, was submitted to and reviewed by the competent authorities.
KMG International / Rompetrol statement
The full position communicated by the company to the press in response to an initial request from NewsCenter.ro is as follows:
“KMG International reaffirms its full compliance with international sanctions regimes: both the vessel Safeen Elona and its owner and operators do not appear on international sanctions lists issued and applicable in the European Union, the United States of America (OFAC), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland.
Compliance with international sanctions regimes is a fundamental principle governing all operations of the KMG International – Rompetrol Group.
With regard to the Safeen Elona vessel, it is important to note that it does not appear on any relevant international sanctions list issued by and applicable in the European Union, the United States of America (OFAC), the United Kingdom, Switzerland, etc.
Like all vessels used in the Group’s logistics and supply activities, both the vessel and its registered owners and operators were subject to mandatory compliance verification procedures before being accepted for operation, using advanced screening systems and up-to-date databases for this purpose.
Petromidia primarily processes crude oil from Kazakhstan, Romania’s main supplier, which covers more than 60% of the country’s refining needs. The refinery in Năvodari also receives significant quantities of crude oil from Azerbaijan, Libya, and Guyana, depending on availability. All these shipments are accompanied, without exception, by documentation made available to Romanian and European authorities.
Therefore, we encourage all stakeholders to rely on verified and official information, as well as the assessments of the competent authorities, and to avoid speculation or assumptions that are not supported by objective evidence.
Furthermore, all documentation related to the cargo, including documents confirming its origin, has been submitted to and reviewed by the competent authorities, in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.”
