Denmark detains container ship from Iran’s “shadow fleet” that previously called at port in St. Petersburg

Denmark has detained the Iranian-flagged container ship Nora (IMO: 9259408), according to a report by the Danish broadcaster TV 2, citing the Danish Maritime Authority. Shortly before it was detained, the vessel operated as the Cerus and was registered in the Comoros Islands.

According to data from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, the ship arrived in the port of St. Petersburg on Jan. 16 after sailing from the Egyptian port of Damietta, then headed back out to sea before being detained off Denmark’s coast. The detention was prompted by violations in the vessel’s registration. It is now anchored east of the city of Aalbaek.

Data on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website indicates that the vessel was hit with U.S. sanctions in the summer of 2025 over its links to Iranian businessman Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani — the son of Ali Shamkhani, a top political adviser to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

As previously reported by Bloomberg, Hossein Shamkhani’s business empire has transported weapons, drone parts, and dual-use goods across the Caspian Sea from Iran to Russia. In addition, Shamkhani’s firms handle a significant share of exports of Iranian and Russian crude oil.