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France has confirmed the seizure of a Russian-linked oil tanker and the arrest of its captain over suspected violations of international sanctions tied to Russia’s “shadow fleet.”
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, a shadow fleet is basically a fleet of oil tankers and other vessels that engage in deceptive and covert shipping practices to bypass international sanctions and continue transporting crude oil and fuel for countries under sanctions like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. These ships often sail under flags of convenience, switch names and registrations, turn off tracking signals, and carry out ship-to-ship transfers in open waters to hide the origin and destination of their cargo, making enforcement by Western authorities extremely difficult.Russia has expanded its shadow fleet since 2022 following the war in Ukraine to keep its cash flow rolling by selling oil to buyers in Asia despite sanctions. Likewise, Iran and Venezuela have long relied on similar networks of vessels to sustain their oil sales in the face of sanctions, using the same tactics of ownership obfuscation and tracking manipulation to evade detection and maintain access to global markets.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, France has escorted the Grinch, a Russian-linked oil tanker suspected of being part of the shadow fleet, into the port of Marseille-Fos after intercepting it in the western Mediterranean. The operation was carried out by French naval forces on January 25, with assistance from the British military. Video released by the French military shows commandos descending from helicopters onto the ship’s deck, with additional support from a navy boat and two helicopters. The tanker had left the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk in early January and was flying a Comoros flag, which French authorities suspect may be fraudulent.
French prosecutors confirmed that the ship’s 58-year-old Indian captain has been taken into custody for questioning, while the rest of the Indian crew remains on board during the investigation. According to the Marseille prosecutor’s office, the inquiry is focused on verifying the legitimacy of the ship’s flag and its navigation documents. Exclusion zones for both shipping and air traffic have been established around the vessel’s mooring site.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the seizure publicly, stating that the tanker was “subject to international sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag.” He added that the operation was conducted in accordance with international maritime law and is part of France’s broader commitment to enforce sanctions against Russia.
As of now, Russia has not issued an official response.
