French Navy Intercepts Russian-Linked Oil Tanker In Mediterranean

The French Navy has intercepted an oil tanker sailing from Russia in the Mediterranean Sea as part of an operation targeting vessels linked to Russia’s sanctioned “shadow fleet”, French authorities said on Thursday.

French maritime authorities for the Mediterranean confirmed that the tanker, named Grinch, was stopped after intelligence provided by the United Kingdom raised suspicions that the vessel was operating under a false flag.

The French Navy is currently escorting the tanker to anchorage for further inspections and checks.

According to the authorities, the tanker had departed from Murmansk in northwestern Russia.

French military officials told the Associated Press that the vessel was intercepted in the western Mediterranean, off the southern Spanish coastal town of Almeria.

The officials said the ship was sailing under a false flag from the Comoros Islands, located off east Africa, and that the crew on board was Indian.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the operation was carried out with the support of several allied countries and was conducted in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He added that vessels operating within the shadow fleet play a role in financing Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Oil exports remain a crucial source of revenue for Russia, enabling Moscow to fund its military campaign while limiting economic strain at home.

Western countries believe Russia has been using a so-called shadow fleet to bypass sanctions imposed over its invasion of Ukraine.

This fleet consists largely of ageing tankers owned by opaque entities, registered in non-sanctioning countries, and often sailing under flags of convenience.

France and its allies have pledged to intensify efforts against the shadow fleet, which experts estimate includes more than 400 vessels.

European nations are also seeking agreements with flag-state countries to make it easier to board and inspect ships suspected of sanctions evasion.

French military officials said the interception of Grinch was made possible through intelligence gathered and shared by the United Kingdom, highlighting close cooperation between the two countries in maritime enforcement operations.

The incident follows a similar operation carried out by France in September last year, when French naval forces boarded another oil tanker off the Atlantic coast.

That vessel had sailed from the Russian oil terminal at Primorsk near Saint Petersburg and had changed its name several times while operating under the flag of Benin.

French authorities had also linked that tanker to the shadow fleet.

Following the earlier interception, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised France’s actions, describing them as piracy and accusing President Macron of using the operation to divert attention from domestic issues.

French judicial authorities later said the tanker’s captain would stand trial in February over allegations that the crew refused to cooperate during the inspection.

References: Reuters, AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News