SOMO rejects links to sanctioned BINARY STAR tanker

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) denied on Monday any contractual or commercial ties to the sanctioned tanker BINARY STAR (IMO 9380570), following media reports linking the vessel to Iraqi oil operations.

In a statement, SOMO clarified that it deals only with companies and vessels that meet its compliance requirements and are not subject to relevant international sanctions. Tankers nominated to transport Iraqi crude and petroleum products undergo screening before approval.

The organization also monitors vessels in Iraqi waters, including those unrelated to its operations, using specialized systems to verify movements and routes when location or Automatic Identification System (AIS) data are hidden or manipulated, and shares its findings with Iraqi security and maritime authorities.

A vessel’s presence in Iraqi waters or appearance on tracking platforms, SOMO stressed, does not in itself indicate a business relationship with the organization.

The United States sanctioned BINARY STAR in December 2025 over allegations involving the transport of Iranian and Russian petroleum products, followed by European, British, Canadian, and Swiss restrictions in 2026. Shipping data show that the tanker has previously called at Iraqi facilities, including Khor Al-Zubair and the Basra Oil Terminal.