France seizes suspected Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker in the Mediterranean

France announced that an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s sanctions-busting “shadow fleet” was seized in the Mediterranean.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the tanker Grinch was “subject to international sanctions and is suspected of carrying a false flag.”

The French navy, with the help of allies, embarked between Spain and Morocco on Thursday morning. French maritime authorities said a search of the ship “confirmed suspicions regarding the neatness of the flag”.

Russia’s so-called shadow fleet is a secret network of tankers used to evade Western sanctions on Russia’s oil exports.

Announcing the intervention in X, Macron said: “We are determined to uphold international law and ensure the effective implementation of sanctions.

“The activities of the ‘shadow fleet’ contribute to the financing of the war of aggression against Ukraine.”

The French president added that an investigation had been launched and the ship had been “diverted”.

French officials said the Grinch was captured as he set out from the Arctic port of Murmansk in northern Russia. According to ship tracking sites marinetraffic and shipfinder, the ship was flying the Comoros flag.

According to the French maritime police, the navies of other countries also assisted in the operation. A UK defense source confirmed Britain’s involvement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the action, saying it was “the kind of determination needed to ensure Russian oil no longer finances Russia’s war.”

“The ships should be seized. Wouldn’t it be fair to seize the oil these tankers carry and sell them?” said X.

Speaking in Davos earlier on Thursday, Zelensky criticized European leaders, saying, “Europe likes to discuss the future but avoids taking action.”

After Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many Western countries imposed sanctions on Russian energy. Moscow is accused of evading sanctions by transporting oil to old tankers whose owners or insurance are unknown.

In early January British armed forces supported an offensive. US operation to seize a Russian-flagged tanker in the Atlantic US officials said they broke sanctions by transporting oil to Venezuela and Russia.

Moscow condemned the move, saying that no state has the right to use force against ships registered in other states’ jurisdictions.

Last October, France seized another sanctioned tanker, the Boracay, off its west coast and released it a few days later.

Shadow fleets are becoming increasingly common; Venezuela, Iran and Russia have been accused of using them to evade oil sanctions.

Financial intelligence firm S&P Global estimates that one in five oil tankers worldwide are used to smuggle oil from sanctioned countries. The ships are mostly old tankers and use false flags to avoid detection.