Seatrade Maritime: Reward offered for ‘missing’ dark fleet VLCC

In one of the bizarre LinkedIn posts we’ve seen in a while an account ‘OMRA ex Vani’ has started posting notices offering a reward for information on the 2004-built VLCC Omra.

The posts say they are “seeking verified any information verified information regarding the current position of this ship”.

The ship in question is the 300,544 dwt, 2004-built, Omra with the IMO No. 9264881, previously known as Vani. According to Equasis the Omra is flying a false flag of Guyana.

Pole Star Global’s PurpleTrac database shows the Omra as flying the Comoros flag as of February 2026, having switched from the false-flag of Guyana. The VLCC was sanctioned by the US under OFAC in July 2025.

The vessel is owned by Marshall Island’s based Avani Lines which is also sanctioned by OFAC since July 2025. The VLCC is managed by Sevana Shipping in Abu Dhabi and appears to be the only vessel in its fleet.

The notice posted on LinkedIn claims to offer a EUR500,000 reward “For any information that leads to confirming vessel’s current location”. Photos posted on the vessel show it under its previous name of Vani and flagged with San Marino and with a black hull. The notice says the VLCC may have been repainted a different colour.

ccording, Pole Star Global the last reported position of the Omra was six days in the East Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage off the East Coast of Johor which is associated with large numbers of dark fleet ship-to-ship crude oil transfers.

The Omra is involved in the sanctioned Iranian crude trade and was reported in Iranian waters on 23 January undertaking bunkering.