Press release: Don’t play fast and loose with sanctions – advice to intermediaries from ITIC

International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) warns all intermediaries such as brokers, agents and consultants to be fully aware of the parties they are working with to ensure all relevant sanctions are complied with. This is particularly important since the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the speed at which many regimes have imposed sanctions.

Initially, ITIC advises considering the following issues:

• Where am I physically based?
• Where is my company registered?
• Do we have offices in other countries that might affect this office?
• Do we employ non-local staff members that might be subject to different sanction regimes? (US sanctions, for example, can apply to all US citizens even if they are working outside the USA).

Once complete, the next step is to check whether the principal – or any other party connected with the transaction – is listed in any sanction regime that affects the intermediary’s company or employees. This can be achieved by employing an external agent to perform the checks, or by accessing the sanctions lists from relevant government websites. In the UK, for example, sanctions lists can be found on the UK government website; or in the USA from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) website. 

It is important to identify if the type of trade – as well as individual persons and companies – are also affected. An example is the US banning imports of Russian crude, LNG and coal. Transactions involving military equipment or “dual-use” goods should also raise a red flag.

The principals involved in the transaction are responsible for conducting their own checks and should not rely on any due diligence performed by the intermediary. It is possible, and indeed likely,  that the legal position of the intermediary and the principal are different. 

A related issue  is that whether or not an entity is sanctioned,  the reality of  dealing with a Russian entity will expose all parties to the danger of non-payment as many Russian banks are either sanctioned or subject to prohibitions.

Before agreeing to participate in a transaction, ITIC strongly advises intermediaries to take specialist sanction advice from a law firm resident in the jurisdiction where each specific transaction is due to take place.

Ends

For further information please contact:
Claire Sneddon, Navigate PR
T: +44 203 326 8459
E: csneddon@navigatepr.com 

About ITIC

International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) is the world’s leading provider of professional indemnity insurance to transport professionals across the globe.

As a mutual insurer, it has over 90 years’ experience providing cover to companies in the marine, naval architecture, aviation, offshore and hydrographic industries. With 3,100 members in over 110 countries and with a worldwide network of correspondents, ITIC is the acknowledged leader in its field.

ITIC’s insurance has been developed primarily to cover claims of negligence – errors or omissions. Cover can also extend to specialist areas such as debt collection, loss of commission income, cyber liability, cash in transit and directors’ and officers’ insurance. ITIC’s wide cover also includes a unique discretionary insurance which could support claims not normally be paid by other professional indemnity insurers.

ITIC is managed by Thomas Miller. More details about ITIC and the services it offers can be found at www.itic-insure.com