Blacklisted by the US since 2020, the 187-meter-long (614 feet) vessel Shamim has been moored at Istanbul’s state-run port of Haydarpasa since unloading there in January 2021. She suffered engine problems near Spain in late 2020 and was tugged some 2,200 miles — probably shunned by western shipyards it passed along the way.
During its Turkish hiatus, Shamim became part of the backdrop for commuters ferrying between the city’s European and Asian sides. It’s been there so long a dedicated page appeared on a local social media website where users shared theories about what kept it there.
A poem was penned in its honor. Others suspected it was a curse.
“The day this ship leaves Haydarpasa port, the dark clouds in my life will be lifted,” someone wrote.
But the bonding with the marooned ship may soon be over. Shamim performed tests throughout Monday and Tuesday ahead of an expected departure, Bloomberg News reported.
Washington sanctioned the Iran-flagged ship using measures designed to crimp the Iranian economy and hinder its development of nuclear technology. Iran says its atomic program is for peaceful purposes and not for nuclear weapons.
Shipping in the region has turned even dicier since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
US Treasury Under Secretary Brian Nelson last month asked Istanbul shipping companies for their cooperation in stopping what he described as an uptick in US-sanctioned Russian vessels using Turkish ports.
Despite the risks, Turkey remains an attractive place to do business for many Iranians thanks to its proximity, visa-free travel and connections to the global financial system.
After years of decline, trade between the countries has been rising since 2020, making Turkey the Islamic Republic’s second-biggest export market, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
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