USKO MFU

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Ship confiscated for looting grain from occupied Crimea to be auctioned by Ukraine

Ukraine is planning to sell the 'Ussko MFUÄ, which has been confiscated in 2024 on charges of looting grain from the temporary occupied Crimea, in an attempt to sell seized ships and raise funds to boost its war efforts with Russia. Ukraine’s National Agency for Tracing and Asset Management (ARMA) is trying to find someone to organise the sale of the vessel, which has significant investment potential and is attractive for future commercial use, and for companies which specialise in ship repairs or recycling. The agency will accept proposals until July 4, 2025. It will then choose an auction organiser who will obtain an independent valuation and organise the ship’s sale.

Detained ship confiscated by Ukraine for illegal transporting grain from Russian occupied Crimea

On Oct 8, a Ukrainian court order authorized the confiscation of the 'Usko MFU', which had been initially detained in July for transporting 3000 tons of grain from the Russian occupied Crimea to a Turkish company. Following the detention, the captain and the second officer of the vessel were charged for illegally transporting goods from occupied territories in violation of both Ukrainian and international laws and are facing five years in prison.The ownership of the vessel, which originally belonged to Usko Shipping of Turkey, was transferred to the Ukrainian government.

Officer of detained ship charged by Ukraine may face five years in prison

Ukrainian authorities have charged a second senior officer of the 'Usko MFU', who was detained since July for trading in Crimea , which was annexed by Russia. The region’s exiled prosecutors’ office, still under the control of the Kyiv government, filed charges against the man on Sep 25. He was facing up to five years in prison, as does the master of Azerbaijan nationality, who was commanding the ship when Ukraine arrested it in July. Kyiv has vowed to prosecute all vessels trading in Black Sea ports brought under Moscow’s control after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine managed to get its hands on the 'Usko MFU' because it sailed within the reach of Kyiv authorities just a few months after calling in Sevastopol in Crimea. The authorities seized the vessel in early July in the Danube near the Ukrainian port of Reni, where it has been held since. The ship had loaded more than 3,000 tonnes of agricultural products in Sevastopol in November 2023, destined to Turkey.