Image for representation purposes only The Indian Register of Shipping is taking stringent action against sanctioned vessels by cancelling the certifications of over 200 ships, mostly oil tankers, LNG carriers and container vessels. Removal from the list of one of the world’s leading ship certifiers will make it difficult for the vessels to get insurance and access ports. From 2023 onwards, the Mumbai-based IRClass has de-classed 235 ships from its registry, mainly oil tankers and a few gas carriers, the non-profit organisation’s Executive Chairman Arun Sharma said. He added that the organisation is not taking any vessels, sanctioned by either the U.S or Britain, referring to sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and on Iran over its nuclear programme and closure of the Hormuz Strait. This move is a sign that the country is taking a different approach than China, which in May directed companies not to comply with U.S sanctions on 5 Chinese refiners over buying oil from Iran. India has also said no to Russia’s offer to sell LNG to the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer over Western sanctions. Sharma added that though IRClass would not take any ships owned by Iranian or Russian entities, there are limitations to what can be done about the cargo. “Today, we may take in a ship which is as per the registry, non-Russian, non-Iranian, and tomorrow (the vessel) carries oil from Iran to somewhere … we don’t have any control on that”, he stated.