- Indian company Gatik Ship Management has become one of the world’s largest vessel owners in just over a year, acquiring a fleet of 58 vessels with an estimated combined value of $1.6bn.
- Gatik has shipped at least 83mn barrels of Russian crude and oil products to India, enough to meet total UK oil demand for more than two months.
- The origins and ownership of Gatik are a mystery, but it is suspected to have a link with its biggest client, Russian oil giant Rosneft.
- Gatik's fleet has helped facilitate one of the most significant shifts in oil flows in decades, as India has opted to increase its imports of Russian oil after Western sanctions were imposed.
- Some Indian refineries have complained that the heavy Russian blend has been clogging old refinery equipment, prompting Rosneft to sign a deal with the Indian Oil Corporation to increase oil exports and 'diversify its blends'.
The unknown Indian company shipping millions of barrels of Russian oil
Gatik became one of the world’s largest vessel owners in little over a year, transporting crude to India for Rosneft
Chloe Cornish
