The Controversial Journey of the Conico Atlas: From Shadow Fleet to Shipbreaking Yards

The 2004-built shadow aframax tanker Conico Atlas has been sold for scrap following mounting regulatory pressure and a high-profile entry denial at India’s Vadinar port earlier this year. The vessel, previously known by names including Andaman Skies and Delta Pioneer, is currently en route to the Alang shipbreaking yards on the west coast of India, according to MarineTraffic data.

The Conico Atlas grabbed headlines in March when Indian port authorities refused the ship entry due to inadequate and suspicious documentation. At the time, the tanker was registered under Aurelius Ship Management, following earlier affiliations with Aqutb Alshamali Marine Services and Radiating World Shipping—companies often associated with the so-called dark fleet involved in opaque oil trades and sanctions evasion.

Prior to its latest identity, the Comoros-flagged Conico Atlas sailed under multiple names and ownership arrangements, all of which added layers to its checkered record. Both Aqutb Alshamali Marine Services and Radiating World Shipping are known for their ties to tankers implicated in transporting sanctioned or non-compliant crude oil, especially out of Russia and Venezuela.

Data from the International Maritime Risk Rating Agency (IMRRA) lists Aqutb Alshamali Marine Services with a fleet risk rating of 42%, placing it in the agency’s orange caution category.

Notably, the Conico Atlas shares a close lineage with another 111,000 dwt aframax that was sent to the breakers just last month at an unusually young age of 20. That vessel had reportedly been under intense scrutiny by several governments for transporting non-compliant Russian crude.

Years before entering shadow fleet operations, both the Conico Atlas and its recently scrapped sister ship were part of the Greek tanker company Delta Tankers.

The sale of the Conico Atlas comes at a time when the tanker demolition market is beginning to see more activity.