The Sea Princess: Ashjan Al Morzooqi Has a Dark Fleet of Her Own
Sep 2026WikiIran's Exclusive
Meet Ashjan Al Marzooqi, the Al Marzooqi family member behind Master Crest Shipping Line, a Marshall Islands-based company that finances and legally controls vessels in Iran's shadow fleet, seizing them when debts go unpaid.
As outlined in our previous article the Al Marzooqi family is essential to the operation of Bank Shahr’s export front networks (PDECO and HMS Trading).
The Al Marzooqi family handles various responsibilities related to this business: legal, financial, and shipping matters. The shipping component is largely managed by one notable member of the family: Ashjan Omar Mohamed Zubaeer Al Marzooqi.
Ashjan is the registered owner of Marshall Islands-based Master Crest Shipping Line Inc., a company used to legally control and provide mortgages for vessels that make upIran’s shadow fleet.
Ashjan Al Marzooqi’s company, Master Crest, closely cooperates with Amer Al Marzooqi’s law firm, Amer Al Marzooqi Advocates & Legal Consultants. As it stands, Master Crest’s core business consists of lending mortgages for the purchase of “Shadow Fleet” vessels and seizing them in cases where debt is not repaid. WikIran has identified 10 vessels that were purchased and owned by Master Crest or mortgaged to the company:
| Vessel Name | IMO | Vessel Type | Flag | Registered Owner | Evidence for Attempted Seizure after Mortgage Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOOH GAS (previously WANSA GAS and LUMA) | 9034690 | LPG Carrier | Vanuatu | WANSA GAS SHIPPING CO., | No |
| TARA GAS (Formerly Gas Global and Global Capricorn) | 9290270 | LPG Carrier | Panama | Global Gas Inc | No |
| VELA PRIME | 9218272 | Bulk Carrier | Panama | Hengshan HK Limited Owner by Iranian national Reza Dindar | Yes |
| RMS 1 (formerly SKYPOWER) | 9418963 | Asphalt Carrier | Panama | Aqua wings Shipping Corp. | Yes |
| M/V Bitumax | 9509334 | Asphalt Carrier | Panama | Songshan HK Limited | Yes |
| WANJI (New Name MAOMING) | 9215103 | Tanker | Iran | Wanji Shipping Inc. | Yes |
| VELA QUEEN (New Name GUILIN) | 9214068 | Bulk Carrier | Panama | Huanshan HK Limited | Yes |
| VELA VISTA (New Name VISTAR) | 9122679 | Bulk Carrier | Panama | Jingshan Limited | Yes |
| LUNA PRIME (New Name PUYANG) | 9174220 | Oil Tanker | Panama | Cathay Harvest Marine Limited U.S. designated | Yes |
| OCEAN ENERGY | 9350111 | General Cargo | Panama | Master Crest Shipping Inc. | No |
| Mahoura | 8835994 | General Cargo | Iran | Speed Line Trading L.L.C | No |
Beyond successful purchases and lending mortgages, Master Crest Shipping successfully managed to avoid purchasing vessels that were designated during the acquisition process. This became so prevalent that the Al Marzooqi family, responsible for procuring vessels for PDECO, created a follow-up status report on the matter. The document notes that most vessels were designated (or had related entities designated), causing the deals to be dropped. These included U.S.-sanctioned PAMIR (IMO: 9208239), NEPTA (IMO: 9013701), MT CHARMINAR (IMO: 9318022) and SAPPHIRE GAS (IMO: 9320738).
But Ashjan is not alone. Many members of the Al Marzooqi family partake in sanctions evasion and vessels financing. One such individual is Sumaya Ahmed Zubair Al Marzooqi, owner of UAE-based Middle Way Shipping FZE, a mortgagee for U.S.-designated tanker MT FELICITA (IMO: 9167162) and Omar Mohammad Zubair Mohammad Al Marzooqi, Ashjan’s father and the owner of Marshall Islands-based company Silver Coast Inc.
While Ashjan Al Marzooqi may be the "Sea Princess" of Iran's shadow fleet, she is merely one piece of a much larger family enterprise. As outlined in our previous articles, the Al Marzooqi family's involvement in Iran's illicit oil trade extends far beyond shipping, they also manage the legal defense of these operations through their law firm and oversee the financial architecture that keeps Bank Shahr's networks running.
Together, Ashjan and her relatives have built a well-oiled sanctions evasion machine: controlling front companies, financing shadow fleet vessels, and leveraging legal expertise to bypass international enforcement. This family affair underscores how deeply Iran's oil smuggling operations are dependent on a network of trusted insiders.