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The Danish Maritime Authority has detained the containership Nora pending proof of valid registration and certification, after questioning the vessel’s flag status.
The ship (previously known as Cerus) was sanctioned by the United States in July 2025 as part of a network linked to Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, whom U.S. authorities accused of controlling a large fleet transporting Iranian and Russian cargo.
Originally listed under the St. Kitts and Nevis registry, the vessel changed names to Nora in October 2025 and later claimed registration in Aruba and Comoros. Danish authorities said Comoros confirmed the vessel was not properly registered, and when questioned further, the ship reportedly raised an Iranian flag, prompting detention.
The 37,100-dwt vessel, built in 2003, has been anchored east of Aalbæk, Denmark, for nearly a month after arriving from the Baltic. Tracking data from ShipAtlas shows it previously sailed dark near St. Petersburg, a pattern reported during earlier calls to Russian ports.
Classification society Bureau Veritas withdrew the ship’s class in August 2025 for non-compliance, and inspection records show no recent port state control activity since 2022.
Denmark stated the vessel will remain detained until a recognized flag state confirms its registration and certification. A full port state inspection is planned when conditions allow.
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