SeaLead Shipping has announced the termination of charter agreements for 16 vessels linked to recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The Singapore-based company stated it became aware that several of the ships it chartered for commercial use had been added to OFAC’s sanctions list. “SeaLead confirms the termination of all chartering arrangements and contracts related to sanctioned vessels and entities. The company continues to strictly adhere to all applicable sanctions laws and regulatory requirements,” the statement said.

SeaLead did not specify how many of its chartered vessels were affected by the sanctions. According to shipping analyst Alphaliner, the company operates a fleet of 53 container vessels—two of which are owned and 51 chartered.

A UK-based logistics publication confirmed the sanctioned vessels include:

• Dhanu (1,726 TEU, built 2001)
• Bertie (2,478 TEU, 2003)
• Tex (2,492 TEU, 2003)
• Moana (4,992 TEU, 2004)
• Bigli (6,350 TEU, 2005)
• Rantanplan (5,888 TEU, 2006)
• Yogi (5,888 TEU, 2006)
• Pumba (5,060 TEU, 2006)
• Ale (3,398 TEU, 2006)
• Zagor (2,702 TEU, 2006)
• Lidia (3,450 TEU, 2007)
• Hakuna Matata (6,661 TEU, 2008)
• Pinocchio (4,860 TEU, 2009)
• Timon (6,966 TEU, 2009)
• Star (3,534 TEU, 2009)
• Simba (6,865 TEU, 2015)

On July 30, OFAC issued new sanctions targeting entities involved in transactions with Iran. The measures included blacklisting over 60 vessels, 22 of which were container ships. The sweeping sanctions impacted entities based in key shipping hubs, including India, the UAE, Marshall Islands, Seychelles, Singapore, Hong Kong, Romania, Switzerland, Turkey, Cyprus, and Panama.

It remains unclear whether the specific vessels SeaLead terminated charters for are on OFAC’s updated list.

“All SeaLead vessels and their ownership structures continue to be subject to rigorous due diligence processes, including comprehensive sanctions screening and Know Your Supplier (KYS) protocols,” the company noted.

SeaLead ranks as the 13th-largest container shipping line globally, according to Alphaliner. Founded in 2017, the company has rapidly expanded with a focus on Asia–Middle East trades and is now venturing into long-haul services. Despite ongoing instability in the Red Sea, including Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, SeaLead maintains services through its Djibouti hub.