India is providing safety certification for dozens of ships managed by a subsidiary of top Russian shipping group Sovcomflot, official data shows, enabling oil exports to India and elsewhere after Western certifiers withdrew their services due to global sanctions against Moscow.
Certification by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass), one of the world's top classification companies, provides a final link in the paperwork chain — after insurance coverage — needed to keep state-owned Sovcomflot's tanker fleet afloat and delivering Russian crude oil to overseas markets.
Data compiled from the IRClass website shows that it has certified more than 80 ships managed by SCF Management Services, a Dubai-based entity listed as a subsidiary on Sovcomflot's website.