2024-00734. Publication of Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations Web General Licenses 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85

AGENCY:

Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION:

Publication of Web General Licenses.

SUMMARY:

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing five general licenses (GLs) issued pursuant to the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations: GLs 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85 each of which were previously made available on OFAC's website.

DATES:

GLs 81 and 82 were issued on December 20, 2023, and GLs 83, 84, and 85 were issued on December 22, 2023. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional relevant dates.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

OFAC: Assistant Director for Licensing, 202–622–2480; Assistant Director for Regulatory Affairs, 202–622–4855; or Assistant Director for Compliance, 202–622–2490.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Availability

This document and additional information concerning OFAC are available on OFAC's website: https://ofac.treasury.gov.

Background

On December 20, 2023, OFAC issued GLs 81 and 82 to authorize certain transactions otherwise prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR). On December 22, 2023, OFAC issued GLs 83, 84, and 85 to authorize certain transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR. GLs 81 and 82 have an expiration date of March 19, 2024. GL 83 has an expiration date of February 21, 2024. GL 85 has an expiration date of March 21, 2024. Each GL was made available on OFAC's website ( https://ofac.treasury.gov) when it was issued. The text of these GLs is provided below.

OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL

Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations

31 CFR Part 587

GENERAL LICENSE NO. 81

Authorizing Limited Safety and Environmental Transactions Involving Certain Persons or Vessels Blocked on December 20, 2023

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to one of the following activities involving the blocked persons described in paragraph (b) are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, March 19, 2024, provided that any payment to a blocked person must be made into a blocked account in accordance with the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations (RuHSR):

(1) The safe docking and anchoring in port of any vessels in which any person or entity listed in paragraph (b) of this general license has a property interest (“blocked vessels”);

(2) The preservation of the health or safety of the crew of any of the blocked vessels; or

(3) Emergency repairs of any of the blocked vessels or environmental mitigation or protection activities relating to any of the blocked vessels.

(b) The authorization in paragraph (a) of this general license applies to the following blocked persons listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List and any entity in which any of the following persons own, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, a 50 percent or greater interest:

(1) SUN Ship Management D Ltd;

(2) Covart Energy Limited;

(3) Voliton DMCC; and

(4) Bellatrix Energy Limited.

(c) This general license does not authorize:

(1) The entry into any new commercial contracts involving the property or interests in property of any blocked persons, including the blocked entities described in paragraph (b) of this general license, except as authorized by paragraph (a);

(2) The offloading of any cargo onboard any of the blocked vessels, including the offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin, except for the offloading of cargo that is ordinarily incident and necessary to address vessel emergencies authorized pursuant to paragraph (a) of this general license;

(3) Any transactions related to the sale of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin;

(4) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 2 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;

(5) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 4 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Transactions Involving the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation; or

(6) Any transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR, including transactions involving the property or interests in property of any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR, other than transactions involving the blocked persons in paragraph (b) of this general license, unless separately authorized.

Dated: December 20, 2023.

Bradley T. Smith,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL

Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations

31 CFR Part 587

GENERAL LICENSE NO. 82

Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions Involving SUN Ship Management D Ltd

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the wind down of any transaction involving SUN Ship Management D Ltd (SUN Ship), or any entity in which SUN Ship owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, March 19, 2024, provided that any payment to a blocked person is made into a blocked account in accordance with the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR).

(b) This general license does not authorize:

(1) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 2 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;

(2) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 4 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Transactions Involving the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, as amended; or

(3) Any transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR, including transactions involving any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR other than the blocked persons mentioned in paragraph (a) of this general license, unless separately authorized.

Dated: December 20, 2023.

Bradley T. Smith,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL

Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations

31 CFR Part 587

GENERAL LICENSE NO. 83

Authorizing Certain Transactions Related to Imports of Certain Categories of Fish, Seafood, and Preparations Thereof Prohibited by Executive Order 14068

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by the determination of December 22, 2023 made pursuant to section 1(a)(i)(B) of Executive Order (E.O.) 14068, as amended by E.O. of December 22, 2023 (“Prohibitions Related to Imports of Certain Categories of Fish, Seafood, and Preparations Thereof”), that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the importation into the United States of seafood derivative products, pursuant to written contracts or written agreements entered into prior to December 22, 2023 are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, February 21, 2024.

(b) This general license does not authorize any transactions otherwise prohibited by the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR), including transactions involving any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR, unless separately authorized.

Dated: December 22, 2023.

Bradley T. Smith,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL

Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations

31 CFR Part 587

GENERAL LICENSE NO. 84

Authorizing Transactions Related to Closing a Correspondent or Payable-Through Account

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, U.S. financial institutions that maintain correspondent accounts or payable-through accounts for any foreign financial institution subject to the correspondent account or payable-through account (CAPTA) prohibition of section 11(b)(i) of Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, as amended, are authorized, during the 10-day period beginning on the effective date of the imposition of the prohibition, to engage in the following transactions:

(1) Processing only those transactions through the account, or permitting the foreign financial institution to execute only those transactions through the account, for the purpose of, and necessary for, closing the account; and

(2) Transferring the funds remaining in the correspondent account or the payable-through account to an account of the foreign financial institution located outside of the United States and closing of the correspondent account or the payable-through account.

(b) This general license does not authorize any transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR, including transactions involving any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR, unless separately authorized.

Dated: December 22, 2023.

Bradley T. Smith,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL

Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations

31 CFR Part 587

GENERAL LICENSE NO. 85

Authorizing the Wind Down of Transactions and the Closure of Accounts Involving Expobank Joint Stock Company

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the wind down of any transaction involving Expobank Joint Stock Company (Expobank), or any entity in which Expobank owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, March 21, 2024, provided that any payment to a blocked person is made into a blocked account in accordance with the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587 (RuHSR).

(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by E.O. 14024 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to (i) the closing of an account of a person, wherever located, who is not a blocked person (“the account holder”), held at Expobank, or any financial institution in which Expobank owns, directly or indirectly, a 50 percent or greater interest, and (ii) the unblocking and lump sum transfer of all remaining funds and other assets in the account to the account holder, including to an account of the account holder held at a non-blocked financial institution, are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, March 21, 2024.

(c) This general license does not authorize:

(1) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 2 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Correspondent or Payable-Through Accounts and Processing of Transactions Involving Certain Foreign Financial Institutions;

(2) Any transactions prohibited by Directive 4 under E.O. 14024, Prohibitions Related to Transactions Involving the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, as amended; or

(3) Any transactions otherwise prohibited by the RuHSR, including transactions involving any person blocked pursuant to the RuHSR other than the blocked person described in paragraph (a) of this general license, unless separately authorized.

Bradley T. Smith,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Dated: December 22, 2023.

Bradley T. Smith,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.