Shadow Fleet Captain Pleads Guilty After Weeks-Long Atlantic Pursuit

The captain of a shadow fleet oil tanker pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in Washington, after he was caught following a weeks-long chase by the U.S. Coast Guard across the Atlantic Ocean.

Avtandil Kalandadze, 47, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia, served as the master of Motor Tanker Bella 1 from September 2025 to December 2025.

During his command, the vessel transported around 1.8 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil to Asia.

Investigation revealed that he intentionally turned off the ship’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) to avoid being tracked.

The ship’s name was also changed during an illicit ship-to-ship oil transfer.

In December 2025, while the tanker was en route to Venezuela, it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro.

Federal law enforcement officers ordered the captain to halt, but he defied the instructions and fled, acting under instructions from the representative of the ship’s operator.

He also destroyed all evidence, digital records and ship equipment to avoid being caught.

The pursuit ended on January 7, 2026, when the Coast Guard, assisted by federal task forces, successfully seized the tanker.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro emphasised the dangers involved in the operation.

She noted that Kalandadze’s refusal to comply risked the lives of U.S Navy sailors and Coast Guard members, leading to a high stakes boarding mission in heavy seas.

The investigation into the incident was led by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI, with support from the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and the Office of International Affairs.

Kalandadze has been sentenced to 5 years in prison after which he will be deported from the
United States.